Japanese fox stories kitsune, kumiho, huli jing, fox index of. He is regarded in shinto lore as the messenger who ensures that farmers pay their offerings to the rice god. The kitsune is the mythical fox in japanese folklore, they are very intelligent magical beings blessed with wisdom and magical abilities which became more powerful with age. Most of the time, kitsune look like regular foxes, until they reach a hundred years old or so, then they start to grow more tails.
Sep 04, 20 the kitsune is the mythical fox in japanese folklore, they are very intelligent magical beings blessed with wisdom and magical abilities which became more powerful with age. Kitsune simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. A kitsune is a shapeshifter, and usually when it reaches the age of 100 it can transform into a human. Noh, kyogen, bunraku, and kabuki plays derived from folk tales feature them, as do contemporary works such as anime, manga and video games. Read it online that rarest of rare things, a book of japanese folklore written by an actual japanese scholar, and not a western nihonophile. For information on kitsune in traditional japanese culture, please see the main article. Sword of storms, a kitsune is pretty much the only youkai on hellboys side when he is transported to a japanese folklore inspired magical land. For lovers of historical fiction or asian mythology, kitsune tales offers delightful reads. Stories and studies of strange things paperback by lafcadio hearn. Smashwords kitsunetsuki a book by laura vanarendonk baugh. The best fantastical japanese mythology books anime impulse. Kitsune no yomeiri the fox wedding hyakumonogatari.
Originally deriving from ancient chinese mythology, there are a total of 7 different types of vulpine spirits in japanese mythology, according to manuscripts from zenan asakawas. This book was a fascinating overview of the kistune myth in japanese history. According to yokai folklore, all foxes have the ability to shape shift into men or women. The main plot revolves around protecting the emperor from the kitsune or fox spirit. The classic exposition on japans folkloric fox details all appearances of t. Kitsune books goodreads meet your next favorite book.
See more ideas about kitsune, japanese fox, japanese folklore. The fairy tale book a deluxe golden book by marie ponsot. Kitsune first debuted in japanese literature in the eighth century, and their legend has never faded since. They can have as many as nine, and the more tails a kitsune has, the older, wiser.
Note that the japanese wiki page for is mostly about actual foxes, with one section on japanese folklore. As for the foxes, in japanese folklore the kitsune japanese word for fox, but also the name given to mythical fox spirits is one of the most notorious creatures. I thought is was going to be mostly fairy tales around. Embedded in popular folklore as they are, kitsune have made appearances. Western authors of fiction have begun to make use of the kitsune legends. See more ideas about japanese folklore, fox spirit and japanese art. Transformation from folklore to folklorism in japan. They are basically the same creature but with a few differences based on region. The stories of the japanese kitsune were actually inspired by the folklore and mythology of china, where tales of supernatural foxes abounded thousands of years ago. This book lived up to my expectations, and even had a few things i did not already know. The following is a list of appearances made by kitsune japanese foxes in various works of popular fiction. Embedded in japanese folklore as they are, kitsune appear in numerous japanese works. Theyre just far too prevalent and deeply rooted in the culture to just go ignored in any way.
For lovers of historical fiction or asian mythology, kitsune. They can be found as statues around ancient shrines for inari, on calligraphy scrolls by japans. The most important of their magic tricks is the ability to assume human form. The following is a list of demons, ghosts, yokai, obake, yurei and other legendary creatures that are notable in japanese folklore and mythology.
The twelfth day of kitsune mizuhiki laura vanarendonk. Foremost among these is the ability to assume human form. A kitsune can take on human form once it reaches 100 years old, some legend state that this can be less. Thus, they have to be a fox for 100 years before transforming between a human and fox.
While some folktales speak of kitsune employing this ability to trick othersas. Looking at the importance of kitsune in japanese folklore. Kitsune tales is a series of stories rooted in traditional japanese folklore, set in magical historical japan. Spirits play a vital role and one of the most important is the kitsune, or fox spirit. Abumiguchi a furry creature formed from the stirrup of a mounted military commander who worked for yamata no orochi. Smashwords kitsunetsuki a book by laura vanarendonk.
They were assumed to be a creature similar to foxes, martens, or wild dogs. They are available from in paperback and kindle formats the night parade of one hundred demons, written and illustrated by matthew meyer, is a 224page fullcolor yokai encyclopedia containing over 100 creatures from japanese folklore. Stories depict them as intelligent beings and as possessing magical abilities that increase with their age and wisdom. Aburaakago an infant ghost who licks the oil out of andon lamps. Jul 19, 20 the kitsune no yomeiri has long been a part of japanese folklore, although with the rise of the inari foxcult during the edo period it gained a greater significance and cultural permeation. The book of yokai mysterious creatures of japanese folklore. It is likely that the legend of the nue started with a chinese bird. The book of yokai is a fascinating and enormously informative study. An excellent book which slides easily between comparisons of real foxes, foxes in folklore, foxes in inari worship, and foxes in the modern japanese imagination. While some folktales speak of kitsune employing this ability to trick others. Folklore tidbitsthe kitsune japanese fox spirit the. What is mizuhiki mizuhiki is an art of decorative knottying.
Buddhist stories, however, cast the fox as an evil agent of possession. You really cant escape stories of all kinds consisting of yokai if youre bound to learn about japanese mythology. Stories depict legendary foxes as intelligent beings and as possessing paranormal abilities that increase with their age and wisdom. They were thought to be a type of shapeshifting youkai that was quite intelligent and sometimes a trickster. A description of kitsune no yomeiri comes from the book echigo naruse encyclopedia of echigo published during the horeki period 17511764. Jun 18, 2017 like many aspects of japanese culture, the kitsune were inspired by chinese, who told tales of magical, ninetailed foxes called huli jing. Fox is a messenger of the god inari, who is the protector of rice, agriculture, and fertility. The human world and the kitsune world do not intermingle as easily as they do in china. Nuedori nuebird described as a birdbeast, the nue lacks any avian physical features. Beware the kitsune, the shapeshifting fox of japanese folklore kitsune, the japanese foxspirit, is also known as the kumiho in korea and the huli jing in china. The protagonist of kij johnsons novel the fox woman is a kitsune named. Red winter by annette marie, shadow of the fox by julie kagawa, the fox woman by kij johnson, soul of the sword by julie kagawa. According to yokai folklore, all foxes have the ability to.
Note that the japanese wiki page for is mostly about actual foxes, with one section on japanese folklore and one section on modern cultural references. Fox fox spirits in asia, and asian fox spirits in the west an extensive bibliography of foxspirit books. This style dates to the early edo period well after the time of kitsune tsuki, but an important part of japanese culture today. University of california press, 2015 the metamorphosis of the kappa. In miraculous ladybug, volpina is a foxthemed supervillain who has illusionary abilities and is known for lying, much like a kitsune. The goblin fox and badger and other witch animals of japan, folklore studies, vol. And if you want a quick summary before diving in deep into fox lore. Thus, the wicked deeds performed by jackals in indian folklore came to be associated with foxes in japanese folklore. Beware the kitsune, the shapeshifting fox of japanese folklore.
The foxes kitsune or o kitsune are very prominent in the japanese folklore and mythology. Browse and enjoy, but please respect the work weve put into this page and link rather than copy, if possible. However, this post is all on the true folklore of what the japanese folks believe on the kitsune believe. Mar 18, 2016 kitsune is the japanese word for fox, so its not surprising that this mythological creatures origins are in japanese folklore. It can be benevolent good or malevolent evil depending on the situation. Though i really hope the information i find are true but not true true. Somewhere over the centuries they came to be known as inaris messengers. Kitsune mythology and meaning of japanese kitsune mask. The best fantastical japanese mythology books anime.
The fox and badger in japanese folklore, transactions of the asiatic society of japan, vol. Stories depict them as intelligent beings and as having magical abilities that increase with their age and wisdom. Kitsune pronounced keetsooneh is the japanese word for fox, but it can also refer to a type of youkai in japanese mythology note, an intelligent fox creature with magical powers, including shapeshifting in fox form, they tend to grow additional tails as they get older, up to nine in total known as kyubi no kitsune, and usually treated as incredibly powerful and dangerous even if. Japanese folklore books meet your next favorite book.
Japanese men do not have kitsune friends whom they visit at home for drinking parties and gossip. The book of yokai provides a lively excursion into japanese folklore and its everexpanding influence on global popular culture. The foxes kitsune or okitsune are very prominent in the japanese folklore and mythology. There is a long complex history of the foxs significance, so ill only be going over the basic mythology and where you can find fox themed shrines and statues around japan. The characters are well written and we follow them through a very japanese folklore spun tale. Japans fox of mystery romance and humor kiyoshi nozaki. The foxy side of japanese mythology tokyo creative. In japanese folklore a kitsune may have up to nine tails. There are foxes all over the world but only certain japanese foxes are divine. Now, this post is focused entirely on one particular myth originating from japan, the kitsune.
A pdf copy of a rare and outofprint book on kitsune by a japanese scholar. The fox and the badger in japanese folklore marinus willem devisser. Kitsune in the literal sense is the japanese word for fox. Please look in the resources section for some excellent. It was the stories of these paranormal foxes known in china as the huli jing that soon became adapted and expanded on by the japanese. Jun 02, 2019 japanese folktales speak of the kitsune who trick others by portraying themselves as faithful guardians, friends, lovers, and wives. See the authors website for all titles and other work. Jul 23, 2012 kitsune tsuki is a short, interesting read by laura v. The only way to kill a kitsune is to cut off all of its tails, as it is said that one of the tails is his main tail which is the source of all its. I enjoyed reading this short story and was left wishing there was more. At every inari shrine you will see at least two statues of them around the entrance to the main worship hall. Kitsune usually take on the form of young japanese girls or older beautiful women. The first words in the article should be, kitsune is the japanese word for foxes of all types, most commonly the japanese red fox vulpus vulpus japonica.
But in earlier times, colored hemp cord was used to bind poetry books and gift boxes, and kaededono or tsurugusama might well have tied such things. I would recommend this for anyone that loves the kitsune, or fox, or is interested in japan. Tracing the history of kitsune in japanese folklore and. The book is easy to read, and at the same time immensely informative on the complicated and varied ways yokai have existed throughout japanese history. It also invites readers to examine how people create, transmit, and collect folklore, and how they make sense of the mysteries in the world around them. Japans kitsune is a trickster fox renowned for his mischievous metamorphic abilities.
Japanese fox stories kitsune, kumiho, huli jing, fox. Yokai can embody everything from a simple talking fox to something as odd as women with extra mouths on the back of their heads. In japanese culture, fox has contradictory behavior. Ive always loved reading about myths and legends, how such folklore came about intrigues me. When buddhism was brought to japan, yakan was assumed to be a fox, and became synonymous with kitsune. That impressed me greatly as i already knew quite a bit. It exists largely outside the japanese yokai canon, best known from the tale of the heike 71 the kanji for the word nue are night and bird. The kitsune can have up to nine tails, depending on the age of the fox, its wisdom and power. It is also said kitsune can duplicate other human beings. In his book glimpses of unfamiliar japan lafcadio hearn provides a detailed insight into these kitsune legends in izumo, a city in shimane.