Shurayuki Tamba
The word "ki-tsune" can be translated from Japanese as "child who comes at night." A long time ago, a certain Ono gave this name to his only son. And all because he immensely adored his wife, who turned out to be a werewolf-fox. This boy laid the foundation for the Kitsune family. So if you ever happen to meet a person with this last name, you should know that this is a descendant of a werewolf-fox who fell in love with a person.
IN mysterious country In Japan, high technology is closely intertwined with the mysterious and unknown world. Houses built for the purpose are adjacent to highways, ancient stone idols stand at posts near bus stops. One wrong step and you will end up in the country from the metropolis. Of course, the gates to the other world are, as a rule, locked, but there is no such lock that cannot be opened. So it’s easy for the Japanese to meet a werewolf in human form. The main thing is to be extremely attentive - what if your random interlocutor is a werewolf...
Eastern werewolves (not only Japanese, but also Chinese, Korean, Indian and Vietnamese) are not at all similar to European ones. These are not people who take the form of animals. These are from other worlds who came to visit in the form of an animal. They can turn into a person, a tree, and sometimes even objects. Fox werewolves are different in all countries, and mythology speaks ambiguously about them. But, of course, kitsune are the most famous of all eastern werewolves. But for centuries they live next to humans, bringing with them either misfortune or good luck. Interestingly, Kitsune foxes are not endowed with kindness or evil traits character a priori.
Kitsune foxes in mythology
Unfortunately, there were no Japanese friends nearby, so you’ll have to take the word of the almost omnipotent Internet. So, according to the latest data, there are not just two types of werefoxes, but two classifications.
The first highlights the red Kitsune and the Hokkaido fox. Both are endowed with the gift of longevity, extensive knowledge and magical abilities. Mythology speaks of foxes as swift creatures with good eyesight and hearing. According to legends, they are able to read people's thoughts. The Japanese believe that such foxes are not much different from humans in the everyday sense - they even walk on two legs. If you pay attention to Japanese folklore, the kitsune fox is sometimes found as a demon spirit, although it would be better to call this werewolf a mischief-maker rather than a demon.
The second classification uses other names and terms. Appeared here:
- Myobu is a divine fox, which is often associated with the goddess Inari, who is not averse to helping people.
- Nogitsune is a wild fox, most often in legends and myths she turns out to be a werewolf with bad intentions.
Some myths attribute unusual skills to foxes - for example, creating illusions, when a person can get lost in reality.
Fox Kitsune. Life among people
Kitsune is the most charming mythical fox. Japanese folklore hints that many historical figures descend from kitsune, or are kitsune themselves. The most famous personalities who were credited with “werewolfism” are Abe no Seimei, quite famous person(in narrow circles), and a mystic, a hunter of the Heian era, and also the famous Tamamao no Mae (Mei), the beautiful concubine of Emperor Konoe. The beautiful May brought a lot of trouble to the East, but no one suspected that she was a werewolf until the emperor himself set the dogs on her for some offense. Only then did the cunning kitsune fox reveal herself.
They say that kitsune werewolves are either people who are unclean in soul before heaven, or the foxes themselves after. At the beginning of its afterlife, the kitsune fox cannot turn into a human and is content with only one tail. They are said to reach maturity at the age of 50 or 100 years. By this time, they have already mastered the choice of human appearance, but are not yet experienced enough to hide their tail. But foxes that have grown five to seven tails are already pros: they have long learned the basics magical arts, can cause confusion, become invisible, or even send madness. One form of mental disorder was named after the fox “kitsune-tsuki”. Or, conversely, bring good luck to passers-by.
But those werewolves, whose age is thousands of years, sport nine tails, and the old “fur coat” becomes. Folklore calls such handsome men and beauties kyubi, heavenly foxes. These kitsune foxes are able to subjugate nature, control time and invite people for walks to other worlds, from where they return as very old men. However, like any truly wise creatures, Kyuubi rarely harm people.
As a result, the Japanese have an ambivalent attitude towards these charming creatures. Here adoration and fear are mixed in almost equal proportions. The kitsune fox is an unpredictable creature with a difficult character. She can make you hers best friend, or maybe a mortal enemy. By the way, according to legend, depending on who the werewolf comes to, he chooses his appearance. The Japanese say that you can meet a kitsune girl, a wise old man or a handsome young man. Kitsune - docks in any profession and will support any conversation on top level, but besides this, cunning foxes are also excellent traders, the best in their craft, especially silver foxes.
At the same time, kitsune can be very sexy; it is not without reason that many people believe that werewolves are not uncommon among geishas. Seeing a kitsune werewolf in a dream was considered a very bad omen, despite the fact that it is impossible to find wives and brides cuter than such foxes. These are some of the most loyal creatures. Having fallen in love, they will move mountains for the sake of their chosen one. Those who, simply by chance, settle on territory sacred to foxes will also be lucky.
Such lucky families are called “kitsune-mochi”: foxes protect them from all harm, and anyone who offends the kitsune-mochi will be punished in the form of serious illnesses. However, the foxes still suffered a lot from people. For a long time, the Japanese believed that kitsune meat made a person wise and strong. If someone became seriously ill, the relatives of the poor man wrote a letter to the deity Inari, whom some legends also represent as a fox, but if the patient did not feel better, all the foxes in the area were mercilessly exterminated.
Who doesn't the kitsune fox love?
The Japanese believe that kitsune can be found everywhere. They feel at ease even in big cities, where natural charm and talent help them feel comfortable. But many people are worried about how to recognize the person in front of you or the fox? It seems to be easy to do. Sometimes you just need to be more careful. Kitsune are always at their best, but they can behave rather frivolously with the opposite sex. Young werewolves hide their tails under long skirts. But the true face of adult kitsune can only be seen in images that reflect them as they are. Yes, the water will still show the true face of a fox, even if the kitsune pretends to be invisible.
Kitsune does not like and is afraid of dogs, and dogs cannot tolerate werewolves. Therefore, a Japanese may find it suspicious that any dog grins at a new acquaintance, and the interlocutor himself not only does not keep a dog at home, but also speaks negatively about them.
Kitsune foxes love to play pranks on people, and these pranks can turn out to be both innocent jokes and quite dangerous nasty things. Most often, kitsune mock people who are stupid and greedy, but they can also kind person confuse. The werewolf also does not like self-confident upstarts and those who laugh out loud or to themselves at the fox. There is even a legend about this case.
Fox Barber
It was a long time ago. Quiet and calm people lived in a small village among the mountains. However, rumors spread around the area that a kitsune fox had settled on the pass and was fooling people. Driven by curiosity, the peasants gathered in the mountains - and well, the fox really lives there. We agreed that if anyone sees the kitsune, he will give a sign with a lantern.
And in that village lived a simple guy named Gonsuke. So he walks and thinks that he would like to meet a fox. Gonsuke was confident that he could fool the cunning beast. His comrades scattered through the forest, and he hid. And then he sees that a fox really comes out of the stirring thickets. Gonsuke twitched, he didn’t want to catch the werewolf’s eye.
But the kitsune didn’t even look in his direction. She sat down under a tree, as if thinking about something, and then she turned into a beautiful girl with long hair. Gonsuke is afraid to even breathe - when will you ever see a werewolf turn into a human!
The kitsune picked a bunch of dry grass - Gonsuke didn’t even have time to blink when, instead of straw, the girl found herself holding a baby in her hands. The fox looked around, shook off the leaves from the tree, turned them into an expensive blanket, in which she wrapped the baby. I walked along the path. He sees horse manure left on the road. The kitsune moved her hand, and in place of the disgrace, delicious rice cakes appeared. The fox got ready and went in the direction of the village. Gonsuke followed her, trying not to make any sounds. They approached a house on the outskirts together.
Open the door, it's me, your daughter.
The door opened and a guy saw an old man and an old woman standing, they said, they were completely tired of waiting for their daughter.
The guy got scared and thought:
“What a demon! She turned into an old man’s daughter, she came to fool them! But they, the poor ones, have no idea that it’s a werewolf!”
He jumped out of his hiding place, ran to the house, shouting:
Drive her away! Old man, this is not your daughter, but a werewolf! I saw it with my own eyes. Be afraid, she will deceive you. – He jumped up to the girl and grabbed her by the hair. The old man intervened:
Why are you talking about this? What are you doing? This is not a fox, don’t touch our daughter!
Gonsuke did not let up, he told about the transformation, and about the straw child, and about cakes made from horse dung. The old man got angry with him because the guy was talking nonsense, he imagined it, you see!
The guy got excited, he was annoyed that the old people didn’t believe his words. He shouts that they checked the girl.
Set her dress on fire! If there is a fox, it will immediately jump back!
The old man doubted and said to his wife:
Maybe it's really worth testing it with fire? - He took a firebrand from the fireplace and set fire to the hem of his daughter’s dress. The girl cried:
What kind of fox am I? - and sparks ran and instantly engulfed her entire figure. 
- What have you done, guy? – the old man grabbed his head. - He killed our terrible daughter! - the old ones sobbed. Gonsuke also burst into tears and shouted:
I wanted to save you! I thought it was a fox! - The three of them sit and burst into tears. They hear a monk walking through the village, reading the sutra. The old man turned to him:
Come into my house, man of God, I’m in trouble. The monk did not refuse, he listened to what happened with them. And then Gonsuke says:
You have committed a bad act. Now you have only one thing dear to you - to become a monk, as the law dictates. If you become my student, you will atone for your sin. And you, old people, don’t worry. Your daughter will find peace in heaven, since she was kind and affectionate. I’ll teach the guy some sense and his soul will calm down.
The monk sat the guy down in the middle of the room and began to shave his head. Didn't miss a single hair. And Gonsuke sits humbly, ready to atone for his guilt. He had just closed his eyes when he heard someone calling out to him:
Who, Gonsuke, shaved your head? Did you meet a fox?
The guy doesn’t open his eyes and says:
Yes where there! I’ll become a monk’s disciple to atone for my stupidity!
And in response he burst out laughing. The guy woke up. He sees his friends standing around him, their bellies bursting with laughter. Gonsuke looked around - neither the old people nor the monk were nearby. There is only a pile of horse manure in front of him, and a lantern lying at his very feet.
- You fooled me, fox! – that’s all Gonsuke could say. Grab the head - and the skull is truly shaved, without a single hair.
Fire kitsune
Since ancient times, people have linked foxes and flames in one chain. The beliefs did not end with the most famous tale that the werewolf kitsune causes fire by hitting the ground with its tail. The fox could cause a fire, but at the same time it might not cause much harm. A kitsune is a harbinger of fire in one of the Chinese legends. This myth spoke of bad omens: one monk had to build a 7-story pagoda, supposedly to protect himself from misfortunes - after all, a kitsune fox came to him in his dreams every night. But as soon as he finished his work, it burned to ashes, claiming many human lives.
Japanese folklore speaks of will-o'-the-wisps. The literal expression was invented by the Japanese - “fox fire”, kitsune-bi. According to legends, kitsune exhales these bluish lights or sometimes produces them with the help of their tails. The Japanese believed that on New Year's Eve a fox fire was lit near the old enoki tree. For this purpose, kitsune are collected from eight nearby provinces. If the fire burns brightly and is visible far away, it means that the harvest will be rich this year, the inhabitants of Japan believed.
Good jokes!
Usually, werewolf pranks are directed at people with whom they have no direct business. Perhaps this is why such cases rarely end badly for a kitsune who has experienced humor. But when the fox kitsune takes revenge on a person, then everything becomes much more serious.
This joke is especially popular among kitsune. They choose the appearance of a person and deliberately turn to his acquaintances so that they notice him. The decent Japanese, having figured out that it was the kitsune who had come to fool him in the form of an old acquaintance, recalled all the ways to win on the fox, naturally, fully armed. Well, this is what kitsune needs. The fox said that it was enough to “handle” the poor fellow, and stepped aside. Fun awaits. And then this man, whose appearance the kitsune borrowed, comes towards the person being played. The kitsune is having fun, looking at how two friends beat each other up: “- Werewolf! “What kind of werewolf am I to you!”
Alas, this joke may not be so harmless. The kitsune visited in the form of a person, left the “original” to deal with people who were already firmly convinced that the sly fox was in front of him, and the stories ended with a beating and. So, for example, in one of Chinese fairy tales, the son kills his father, firmly convinced that he is killing a fox.
But in general, most often a person is simply scared. What kind of foul-smelling food can the kitsune serve him for dinner? Even if someone wakes up in a place other than where they fell asleep, there is no threat to life.
However, if everything were always so prosaic, foxes would not inspire such awe in the Japanese. But there are also evil examples of these. Japanese and Chinese cultures talk about two areas in which kitsune werewolves are terrible creatures, and all the stories about them are like selections for horror films - take any, you can’t go wrong. The first problem is when a fox possesses a living person, a kitsune obsession. The second is a violation of a taboo by a person or causing direct damage to the werewolf himself.
The ways in which a kitsune can take revenge for an insult caused to him are varied. For example, there is a story that two werewolves disguised as official envoys of his master then come home to a samurai who frightened a kitsune and convey an order: to perform sepukku. The samurai code obliges you to listen to the master, especially in terms of such important things as, so the samurai was ready to obey. Salvation came unexpectedly and in last moment– the domestic dogs sensed trouble and rushed at the werewolves.
Another story, in which the main “defendant” is also a samurai, ends not so rosy. A fox wounded by a samurai on a fox hunt takes the form of a man and sets fire to the offender’s house.
The story of a fox hunter relating to XVI century, tells the story of a successful catcher becoming a Buddhist monk. Soon, a whole flock of ghosts of foxes he killed in his worldly life appears in front of his home, ready to avenge their lives. Neither prayers nor persuasion help. The foxes leave only when the monk takes up arms again and goes out onto the hunting path.
But avenger foxes are already literary drama However, even newspapers of the last century wrote about kitsune, forcing a person to answer for his fellow man. Despite the fact that people who annoyed foxes did not expect uninvited guests the next evening, it was believed that killing a fox would bring bad luck in the future.
Remedies against kitsune
So, the remedies against kitsune are quite familiar to humans. Since, in principle, a kitsune is no different from a fox, it can easily be shot. There is a belief that when a werewolf takes on human form, there is a ghostly fox image next to him, as if woven from a light haze. And, if something happens, you should hit there, and not at the person’s bodily shell.
But much more often, all a person’s tricks are aimed at simply recognizing a werewolf and avoiding his tricks. For example, they said that if a kitsune inhales smoke in human form, it will turn back into its animal form. This method has been known since the 14th century, and was clearly borrowed from fox hunting practices.
Another weakness of these werewolves that often plays against them is fried rats. For Japanese cutie spirits, this is a gourmet meal. The kitsune cannot resist him and enthusiastically starts eating. Place this “gourmet dish” in front of a suspicious person and watch the reaction. This weakness has killed more than one werewolf.
However, there are much more ordinary ways to identify a kitsune fox.
For example, discreetly pinch your interlocutor. If your friend groans in insult, then everything is in order - there is a person in front of you. But if your counterpart does not react in any way, then this is clearly not without reason.
If you've ever heard the Japanese speak on the phone, you may remember a phrase that sounds something like "moshi-moshi." This expression plays the role of “hello”, translated as “I say, I say.” The fact is that it is repeated twice and there is a checking mechanism. The Japanese believe that the kitsune fox is capable of mastering human language within a year, but, like any foreigner, will have some problems with pronunciation. Even a very experienced werewolf can pronounce the greeting “moshi-moshi”, no matter how hard he tries.
Chinese and Japanese mythologies are rich in spirits, deities and their heroes. In addition, they have many animals endowed with special powers. Kitsune is one of them.
General information about kitsune foxes
Kitsune is a fox spirit with multiple tails. They say that the more tails they have, the older and wiser they are. However, most often the limit is nine tails, although sometimes a smaller number occurs. Kitsune is an evil and cunning spirit, a trickster, who often does evil to people: from entangling travelers to murder. Most often he is just joking, because foxes are not negative heroes, but rather antiheroes. So, usually people get off with fear or embarrassment. There are, however, worse situations, but in these situations the kitsune do not set themselves the task of making a joke, but purposefully cause harm to a person.
Kitsune are magical creatures. In addition to intelligence and cunning, they are endowed with magical abilities: they can create and control fire, inhabit people, create illusions indistinguishable from reality, and turn into people. Most often - in young girls, although sometimes you can see a man. There are many legends where kitsune, having turned into a girl, scared and made fun of passers-by. There are, however, stories where women lived in human form for so long that they started a family, children, and only then their essence was revealed. In one of these stories, the husband, having loved his wife so much, persuaded her to stay in the family, despite her origin.
Vengeful foxes are more common in Chinese mythology, where the kitsune is more of an antagonist than an anti-hero. IN Chinese myths foxes, turning into humans, could force samurai to commit seppuku (or harakiri) if he somehow harmed them.
In Japanese kitsune mythology were servants of the goddess (or god, in different sources in different ways) Inari, “connecting” with the world of people. It was believed that if a fox went against a person, then he had somehow offended Inari and was thus punished. However, there is the opposite opinion: the spirit that brings evil is an exile and acts without divine direction. Moreover, in Japan it was believed that any fox was associated with Inari, and later a cult of foxes was formed. For example, emperors were given figurines of byakko (“white fox,” the highest rank of kitsune), and monuments to the kitsune themselves were erected in some temples.
Types of kitsune
The type of kitsune determines its gender, age, abilities, whether it can harm people, and even the time of day when it is most active. There are thirteen types in total, two of which are “main”: byakko and nogitsune. As you might guess, byakko is the most positive fox, “divine” and “white,” and nogitsune is its complete opposite.
1 Byakko
The most positive and kind fox. A servant of Inari, in the temple of this goddess (god) in Kyoto there is a byakko shrine, where barren and unfortunate women came to pray, asking for blessings and mercy. Since ancient times, seeing a white fox has been a sign of good luck, and figurines of these foxes were often given as gifts to emperors.
2 Genko
Genko is essentially the same as byakko, but black. Also a good omen, also a benevolent spirit. However, it is much less common.
3 Reiko
Reiko - "Ghost Fox" Most often used in stories about kitsune - tricksters who possessed people or played pranks on them. By the way, in modern Japan exists female name Reiko is widely used.
4 Yakan
Initially, it was mistakenly believed that “yakan” was more ancient name kitsune. Later it was believed that it was a synonym. But then it was proven that “yakan” was the name of a small animal with a tail that could climb trees; it was even closer to a dog than to a fox. But already at the end of the 17th century they began to believe that the Yakan was one of the most terrible, evil and dangerous kitsune.
5 Current
Toka is the name of the kitsune that walks at night. In the province of Hitachi, this name is used to describe the most common white fox, byakko. The toka is said to bring rice, which is why the name of this species is translated as “rice-bringer.”
6
Koryo is a kitsune that possesses a person. This is what any kitsune was called when they possessed a person. This word does not play a greater role.
7 Cuco
Kuko - "Air Fox". A character from Chinese mythology who did not take root in Japan. One of common names kitsune as a spirit.
8 Tenko
Tenko is another divine fox (or air fox). According to some sources, tenko is a fox that has reached a thousand or eight hundred years. For Japanese mythology it is nothing special, but for the Chinese it may have been compared with tengu (air spirits).
9 Jinko
Jinko is a male kitsune. Due to the fact that in myths and legends foxes usually turn into girls, a special name was invented for those who turned into boys. This name is used both for those men who have turned into kitsune and for those kitsune who have turned into men.
10 Shakko
Shakko - "Red Fox". It was not found in Japanese myths, but in China it was considered both a good and a bad omen. Externally, it differs from an ordinary red fox only in the large number of tails.
11 Yako
Yako - "Field Fox". Just the name kitsune, it does not carry any positive or negative things.
12 Tome and Miobu
These names are associated with the cult of Inari. Tome was only used in temples, and "myobu" originally meant court ladies or soothsayers. Due to the presence of soothsayers in the temples, the name could have passed on to the foxes themselves. Apart from temples, these names were not seen anywhere.
13 Nogitsune
Nogitsune - "Wild Fox". An evil spirit of a kitsune, close to the yakan and reiko. This name was used only in cases where they talked about revenge or murder by foxes. However, it was used quite infrequently in literature, but secured its status as an evil spirit.
In the modern world about kitsune, in addition to those who are interested in eastern culture, few have heard. The popularity of this creature was brought by the series “Teen Wolf”, where the plot was twisted around the spirit. But in the series the kitsune himself is shown a little differently in great shape: they don’t turn into it and the heroes remain human all the time, and their tails are kept in a special box and they are made of metal.
But in any case, Asian mythology is full of various interesting creatures that are worth your attention.
Kyuubi (actually a kitsune). They are considered smart, cunning creatures that can transform into people. They obey Inari, the goddess of cereal plants. These animals have great knowledge, long life, and magical abilities. Chief among them, I repeat, is the ability to take the form of a person; the fox, according to legend, learns to do this after reaching a certain age (usually a hundred years, although in some legends it is fifty). They usually take the form of a seductive beauty, a pretty young girl, but sometimes they also turn into old men. Other capabilities usually attributed kitsune, include the ability to inhabit other people's bodies, breathe or otherwise create fire, appear in other people's dreams, and the ability to create illusions so complex that they are almost indistinguishable from reality. Some of the tales go further, talking about having the ability to bend space and time, drive people crazy, or take on such inhuman or fantastic forms as trees of indescribable height or a second moon in the sky.
Associated with both and beliefs. IN kitsune associated with Inari, the patron deity of rice fields and entrepreneurship. Foxes were originally the messengers (tsukai) of this deity, but now the difference between them has become so blurred that Inari himself is sometimes depicted as a fox. In Buddhism, they gained fame thanks to the Shingon school of secret Buddhism, popular in the 9th-10th centuries in Japan, one of the main deities of which, Dakini, was depicted riding across the sky on a fox.
In folklore kitsune is a type of youkai, that is, a demon. In this context, the word "kitsune" is often translated as "fox spirit." However, this does not necessarily mean that they are not living creatures or that they are anything other than foxes. The word "spirit" in this case is used in the Eastern sense, reflecting a state of knowledge or insight. Any fox that lives long enough can thus become a "fox spirit." There are two main types of kitsune: the myōbu, or divine fox, often associated with Inari, and the nogitsune, or wild fox (literally "field fox"), often, but not always, described as evil, with malicious intent.
It can have up to nine tails. In general, it is believed that the older and stronger the fox, the more tails it has. Some sources even claim that kitsune grows an additional tail every hundred or thousand years of its life. However, foxes found almost always have one, five, or nine tails.
When nine tails are obtained, their fur turns silver, white, or gold. These kyubi no kitsune (“nine-tailed foxes”) receive the power of infinite insight. Similarly, in Korea it is said that a fox who has lived for a thousand years turns into kumiho (literally "nine-tailed fox"), but the Korean fox is always portrayed as evil, unlike the Japanese fox, which can be either benevolent or malevolent. Chinese folklore also has "fox spirits" in many ways similar to , including the possibility of nine tails.
In some stories, they have difficulty hiding their tail in human form (usually foxes in such stories have only one tail, which may be an indication of the fox's weakness and inexperience). An attentive hero can expose a drunken or careless fox who has turned into a human by seeing its tail through its clothes.
One of the famous ones is also Great Guardian Spirit Kyuubi. This is a guardian spirit and protector who helps young “lost” souls on their path in the current incarnation. Kyubi usually remains for a short time, only a few days, but in the case of attachment to one soul, it can accompany it for years. This a rare type of kitsune that rewards a lucky few with its presence and assistance.
In Japanese folklore, they are often described as tricksters, sometimes very evil ones at that. Kitsune Tricksters use their magical powers to play pranks: those who are shown in a benevolent light tend to target overly proud samurai, greedy merchants and boastful people, while the more cruel kitsune seek to torture poor merchants, farmers and Buddhist monks.
They are also often described as mistresses. IN similar stories usually present a young man and a kitsune disguised as a woman. Sometimes kitsune the role of a seductress is attributed, but often such stories are rather romantic. In such stories, a young man usually marries a beauty (not knowing that she is a fox) and gives great value her devotion. Many of these stories have a tragic element: they end with the discovery of a fox entity, after which she must leave her husband.
The oldest of famous stories about fox wives, which gives the folklore etymology of the word “kitsune”, is an exception in this sense. Here the fox takes the form of a woman and marries a man, after which the two, after spending several happy years together, have several children. Her fox essence is unexpectedly revealed when, in the presence of many witnesses, she is afraid of a dog, and in order to hide, she takes on her true appearance. prepares to leave home, but her husband stops her, saying: “Now that we have been together for several years and you have given me several children, I cannot just forget you. Please, let’s go and sleep.” The fox agrees, and since then returns to her husband every night in the form of a woman, leaving the next morning in the form of a fox. After that they began to call her kitsune- because In classical Japanese, kitsu-ne means “let’s go and sleep.”, while ki-tsune means "always coming."
The offspring of marriages between people and kitsune usually attributed special physical and/or supernatural properties. The exact nature of these properties, however, varies greatly from one source to another. Among those believed to have such extraordinary powers is the famous onmyoji Abe no Seimei, who was a han'yō (half-demon), the son of a human and a kitsune.
Rain falling from a clear sky is sometimes called kitsune no yomeiri or “kisune wedding.”
Many people believe that kitsune came to Japan from China.
The fox, found in the myths of Japan, China, and Korea, is a spirit, but not endowed with evil or good character traits. In the mythology of these countries, foxes are different, they have both similarities and differences. Their purpose is to monitor the balance of good and evil. The fox in Japanese mythology is called Kitsune.
Types of foxes in mythology
In Japanese mythology there are two types of foxes, red kitsune And Hokkaido fox. They are both endowed with knowledge, they have a long life, they have magical abilities. Foxes, according to myths, are able to move quickly, they have very good eyesight and sense of smell, and read people’s secret thoughts. It is believed that the life of a fox is not much different from the life of people, they walk on two legs,
Japanese mythology and folklore about Kitsune foxes - translated from Japanese language, fox spirit. If you pay attention to folklore in Japan, a kitsune is a type of demon, although it is more accurate to say a mischief maker rather than a demon.
The sacred meaning of the fox
Any part of the fox's body is equipped with magic; by hitting it with its tail, it 
may cause a fire. She can change her appearance, turning into beautiful girl, then into an old man, but it is possible to do this when the fox reaches 100 years of age, before that it cannot do this. But this is not her main skill, she can move into a person, has magical knowledge, can travel in people’s dreams, and, like a fire-breathing dragon, breathes out fire.
In addition, they are often credited with such incredible abilities as turning into plants of unusual height and shape or creating a second celestial body. This all shows how powerful they are. Some myths describe how kitsune guard certain objects, their shape resembles a ball or a pear. There is an assumption that whoever becomes the owner of this item will be able to subjugate the kutsine.
Since this ball contains part of their magic, they will be forced to obey, otherwise they will face a decrease in their level and the loss of part of their power.
In mythology there are two types of Kitsune:
- Myobu- a divine fox, she is often associated with Inari, and she is the goddess of rice, which is why she is considered the messenger of God.
- Nogitsune- a wild fox, according to myths she is often evil, her intentions are unkind.
The special significance of the fox in Japanese mythology is quite understandable; the fox is the messenger of the god Inari, who often does good deeds for people. In some cases, foxes are credited with unusual skills; they can create illusions when a person can lose reality.
Changing meaning of the fox in mythology
Having reached the age of 1000 years, the fox in Japanese mythology becomes stronger, it grows from 1 to 9 tails, the color of the fur also changes, it can be white or silver or even gold. In general, according to myths, foxes live a very long time, up to 8000 years. Nine-tailed fox in Japanese mythology - a creature endowed 
great abilities. According to the myth, the god Inari brought the silver foxes closer to him, they began to serve him, swearing that they must always keep this oath.
In some legends, Inari is also represented as a fox, but in fact, this is a deity; there are always figurines of foxes next to his shrines, and before, living foxes were always kept near Inari temples.
The most famous and revered is the spirit - guardian of the Kyuubi, this is also a fox, they are considered the most intelligent and cunning creatures. They choose a lost soul and protect it for 2 days, but for some there is an exception and Kyuubi stays with this soul for much longer. The role of such a fox is to protect the lost soul; it accompanies them until incarnation. These foxes may even have multiple souls that they help.
Often evil kutsine are shown to be deceivers, but for their pranks they choose people with the shortcomings of the proud, evil, and greedy.
Fox is the guardian of the family
The belief that foxes can become guardians of the family in Japan has been preserved, but the owner of a fox cannot be an ordinary person; this is only available to certain groups that belong to the same community. It is possible to join it only by becoming related to them, or by buying a house or land from them. Usually they try to reduce communication with such people because the neighbors are afraid of how their defender might react to them.
Some tales tell stories of foxes turning into beautiful women, cunning, dexterous foxes were skilled seductresses. They skillfully used this, seduced men and often became their wives. In such marriages, children were born who had special qualities.
The devotion of foxes' wives is noted in legends; they could live long enough, hiding their appearance, but if the real essence is revealed, the fox must leave her husband. But there are exceptions, according to one of the legends: the wife, frightened by the dogs, turned into a fox, but the husband, who loved her very much, could not part with her, especially since they had children. Lisa was unable to leave her family and returned every night.
If translated literally, kutsine means, let's go get some sleep. But this story is an exception; in all the others, the foxes left. It should be noted that children born from the wives of foxes had special abilities that are not available to humans, but they could not turn into foxes. Some of the stories tell about bad stories seduction of men by foxes, when, due to inexperience, she poorly disguised her tail. 
But it should be noted that listed species Not all foxes, there are many more of them.
For example, white fox Byakko, a good sign, she is a real messenger of the gods. black fox There is no need to be afraid either, it is associated with goodness. But Fox Cuco this is an evil creature that needs to be feared, but it should be noted that the Japanese love their foxes, treat them with respect, it is believed that the souls of dead people move into the fox, these explain the fact that fox holes can often be found near burial places of people .
Video: Kitsune Fox Fashion Show
A little information about the mythology of foxes. (China, Japan) It is believed that werefoxes arrived in Japan from China in the middle of the 7th century and soon not only deeply “settled” in all areas of Japanese folklore, but also achieved what their Chinese ancestors could not - Kitsune began to be perceived as part of the official religious system. However, having crossed the ocean, the Japanese “fox spirits” lost some of the characteristics characteristic of their Chinese counterparts. Kitsune cannot cause poltergeists, they very rarely live under the same roof with a person, do not make friends with people, and do not allow them to enter their world. At the same time, regardless of whether we are talking about a demon or a benevolent spirit, Japanese legends never describe the world and life of Kitsune itself. Another very important difference between Kitsune and Chinese foxes is that some types of Kitsune, namely, servants of Inari, have the ability to expel demons, cure diseases and perform rituals of purification and liberation of the soul. That is why in Shinto shrines, images of foxes are always decorated with red ribbons. Were-foxes in Chinese mythology. In China, the cult of “fox spirits” reached its greatest spread. Chinese foxes are great scientists, libertines, devoted lovers, peerless seducers, tricksters, poltergeists, drinking companions, and avengers. They always live in direct interaction with humans and perform a moralizing function. Unlike Japanese Kitsune , Chinese foxes can transform into any person, but never into animals or objects. Chinese philosophy explains this by saying that the essence of a fox’s transformations is to attain wisdom and achieve immortality. It is believed that only man knows the path to these secrets, so there is no point in a fox being transformed into a cat or a stone. Chinese mythology also distinguishes several types of “fox spirits”: Hu is actually a fox. Hujing is a fox spirit, literally translated as “beautiful fox.” Huxian is an immortal fox. Jingwei Hu (Juweihu) is a fox with nine tails. It was believed that a person who ate its meat could not be afraid of poisons. Her voice was like the cry of a newborn child. Long Zhi is a nine-headed, nine-tailed man-eating fox. Laohu is an old fox. In China, it is believed that foxes must reach a considerable age before they can transform into humans, so technically all fox spirits are old. However, Laohu is a fox, very old even by such standards. In addition, the Laohu is the only fox species that does not carry a sexual function or connotation, which is most likely due to its significant age. There are theories that Laohu are asexual. In Japanese folklore, these animals have great knowledge, long life, and magical powers. Chief among them is the ability to take the form of a person; the fox, according to legend, learns to do this after reaching a certain age (usually a hundred years, although in some legends it is fifty). Other powers commonly attributed to Kitsune include the ability to inhabit the bodies of others, breathe or otherwise create fire, appear in others' dreams, take the form of any animal or object, and create illusions so complex that they are almost indistinguishable from reality. Some of the tales go further, attributing to Kitsune the ability to bend space and time, drive people mad, or take on such inhuman or fantastic forms as trees of indescribable height or a second moon in the sky. Occasionally, Kitsune are credited with characteristics reminiscent of vampires: they feed on the life force or spiritual force of people they come into contact with. Sometimes Kitsune are described as guarding a round or pear-shaped object (hoshi no tama, that is, "star stone (ball)"); it is stated that whoever takes possession of this ball can force Kitsune to help himself; one theory states that Kitsune "store" part of their magic in this ball after transformation. It is believed that Kitsune are obliged to keep their promises, otherwise they will have to suffer punishment in the form of a reduction in their rank or power level. Kitsune are associated with both Shinto and Buddhist beliefs. In Shinto, Kitsune is associated with Inari. Initially, foxes were messengers (tsukai) of this deity, but now ideas about them have become so similar that Inari is sometimes depicted as a fox. Inari is a deity of indeterminate gender, the patron of rice fields and entrepreneurship. Many figurines of foxes are displayed near his shrines, and history recalls that long ago, live foxes were kept on the territory of the temples. How did the foxes end up joining Inari's servants? This is what the legend says. Not far from Kyoto lived a pair of silver foxes with their offspring. One day - it is said that it was in the Koin era - the whole family of foxes went to Fushimi. There they offered their services to “love and justice.” God Inari accepted the family into the ranks of his servants. The kitsune made ten oaths that the holy foxes must fulfill to this day. Since then, the silver fox has been Inari's messenger. In Buddhism, Kitsune became famous thanks to the Shingon school of secret Buddhism, popular in the 9th-10th centuries in Japan, one of the main deities of which, Dakini, was depicted riding across the sky on a fox. In folklore, Kitsune is a type of yokai, or demon. In this context, the word "kitsune" is often translated as "fox spirit." However, this does not necessarily mean that they are non-living creatures or anything other than foxes. The word "spirit" in this case is used in the Eastern sense, reflecting a state of knowledge or insight. Thus, it is believed that any fox that lives long enough can become a "fox spirit." There are two main types of kitsune: the myobu, or divine fox, often associated with Inari, and the nogitsune, or wild fox (literally "field fox"), often, but not always, described as evil, with malicious intent. Kitsune can have up to nine tails. In general, it is believed that the older and stronger the fox, the more tails it has. Some sources even claim that Kitsune grows an additional tail every hundred or thousand years of its life. However, foxes found in fairy tales almost always have one, five, or nine tails. When Kitsune receive nine tails, their fur turns silver, white, or gold. These kyubi no kitsune ("nine-tailed foxes") gain the power of infinite insight. In some Kitsune stories have difficulty hiding their tail in human form (usually foxes in such stories have only one tail, which may be an indication of their weakness and inexperience). An attentive hero can expose a drunken or careless fox who has turned into a human by seeing its tail through its clothes. One of the famous Kitsune is also the great guardian spirit Kyuubi. This is a guardian and protector who helps young “lost” souls on their path in the current incarnation. Kyuubi usually stays for a short time, only a few days, but in the case of attachment to one soul, it can accompany it for years. This is a rare type of Kitsune, rewarding the chosen ones with its presence and help. On the other hand, in Japan they still believe that foxes can become guardians of entire families. They say that in the province of Shimane you can most often meet families called kitsune-mori. Foxes surround such families with specific protection. Invisible guards follow their owners wherever they go, in addition, they guard their houses and fields and make sure that no one harms them. They can drive conscious or unconscious offenders crazy or take their lives. In the province of Shimane they believe that a common man cannot become the owner of foxes. Their owners are closed clans, and the rights to fox services are inherited. The only chance is to join the kitsune-mori family through marriage, or by purchasing land or a house under the protection of the kitsune. Fox security has its good and bad sides, like everything in this world. People do not like such neighbors, but at the same time they do not dare to harm them. Foxes under protection are, as a rule, isolated people, and friendship with them cannot be called the best. In Japanese folklore, Kitsune are often described as tricksters, sometimes very evil ones. Trickster kitsune use their magical powers to play pranks: those shown in a benevolent light tend to target overly proud samurai, greedy merchants, and boastful people, while the more cruel ones seek to torment poor merchants, farmers, and Buddhist monks. Kitsune are especially often described as lovers. Such stories usually involve a young man and a fox disguised as a woman. Sometimes Kitsune is assigned the role of a seductress, but often such stories are more romantic. In them, a young man usually marries a beauty (not knowing that she is a fox) and attaches great importance to her devotion. Many such stories have a tragic element: they end with the discovery of the wife's fox essence, after which Kitsune must leave her husband. The oldest known story about fox wives, which gives the words "kitsune", is an exception in this sense. Here the fox takes the form of a woman and gets married, after which the couple, after spending several happy years together, have several children. The wife's fox essence is unexpectedly revealed when, in the presence of many witnesses, she is afraid of a dog, and in order to hide, she takes on her true appearance. A woman prepares to leave home, but her husband stops her, saying: “Now that we have been together for so many years, and you have given me several children, I cannot simply forget you. Please, let’s go and sleep.” The fox agrees, and since then returns to her husband every night in the form of a woman, leaving the next morning in the form of a fox. After this, they began to call her kitsune, since in classical Japanese kitsu-ne means “let’s go and sleep,” while ki-tsune means “always coming.” The offspring of marriages between humans and Kitsune are usually attributed special physical and/or supernatural properties. The exact nature of these properties, however, varies greatly from one source to another. Among those who, according to legend, had such extraordinary powers is a famous one who was considered (half-demon), the son of a man and a kitsune. In various legends and tales you can find a whole series“subspecies” of Kitsune: Bakemono-Kitsune - magical or demonic foxes, such as Reiko, Kiko or Koryo, that is, foxes that do not have a tangible form. Byakko - “white fox”; meeting her is a very good omen, since it is believed that this particular fox serves the goddess Inari and acts as a messenger of the Gods. It is worth noting right away that the spelling of the name Byakko, referring to the fox, and the same name, but referring to the Divine Tiger, Lord of the West, are different, so they should not be confused or associated in any way. Genko - "black fox". Meeting her is also usually a good sign. Yako or Yakan - almost any fox, the same as Kitsune. Kiko is a ghost fox, a type of Reiko. Koryo is a “fox stalker”, a type of Reiko. Kuko is an “air fox”, a very malicious creature. In Japanese mythology, Nogitsune is placed on a par with Tengu (a Japanese type of troll) - “wild fox”; in addition, the word is used to differentiate between "good" and "bad" foxes. Sometimes the Japanese use "Kitsune" to refer to the "good" fox, the messenger of Inari, and "Nogitsune" to refer to foxes that commit mischief and deceive people. However, this is not a demon, but rather a mischief-maker, a joker, a trickster. Reiko - "ghost fox"; It cannot be definitely attributed to the forces of evil, but this spirit is definitely not good. Tenko or Amagitsune - "divine fox". Kitsune who reached the age of 1000 years. A distinctive feature of Tenko is nine tails (and sometimes a golden skin). She is sometimes called the Patron Divine Tamamo-No-Mae - a demonic version of Tenko. Deceptively beautiful, very aggressive and strong demon, one of the most famous demon foxes in Japanese folklore. Shakko - "red fox". May refer to both the forces of good and the forces of evil; same as Kitsune. In Korean mythology, we also meet the thousand-year-old fox with nine tails - Kumiho. However, unlike Kitsune or Hujdin, the Korean werefox is always female and always a demon. Kumiho is found in legends as a seductress, a treacherous wife, and sometimes even as a succubus or vampire. One thing is always constant - the goal of the Kumiho is to kill the victim. This is the only species of eastern werefoxes capable of killing a victim with its own hands. In order to dispel some misconceptions about eastern werefoxes: - The fact that foxes are strongly associated with Yin energy (feminine) does not mean that they are all female. It is believed that “fox spirits” are feminine, but this does not mean that they are all women. Additionally, the femininity of human incarnations of male foxes is quite controversial. - Despite the fact that many werefoxes are malicious creatures, they (with the exception of Kumiho) cannot cause direct physical harm to a person. They have the power to cast a curse, deceive, set fire to a house, but they are not able to injure a person with their own hands. It is because of this that, when caught, they find themselves defenseless against people and often die. However, they can commit sexual violence against a person. Apparently, in the East this is not regarded as causing physical harm. - “Fox spirit”, unlike popular belief, is not special kind natural spirit. Any fox can become it. It all depends on how long she lives. IN eastern mythology volume magical powers directly related to the number of years lived. In the same way, the number of tails indicates exactly the age of the fox. It is believed that a fox receives 1 tail for every century it lives (sometimes a fox lives with one tail until it gains enough strength to immediately become nine-tailed). Were-foxes do not have more than 9 tails. - Children born from a fox and a man will be human, although endowed with supernatural powers. They do not turn into foxes and do not have fox atavisms. It is worth noting an interesting detail - the children of a fox and a person have significant physical strength, although the foxes themselves, as already noted, are much weaker than a man and are not able to defeat him physically.