Kitsune facts for kids
Kitsune is the Japanese word for fox. In Japanese folklore, kitsune are special foxes. People believe they are very smart and have amazing magical powers. These powers grow stronger as the kitsune gets older and wiser. One of their most famous tricks is being able to change into human form.
Sometimes, stories say kitsune use their powers to trick people. But other times, they are shown as loyal friends, protectors, or even loving partners. Foxes and humans lived closely in ancient Japan, which is why so many legends grew around them.
Kitsune are also strongly connected to Inari, a Shinto kami (spirit or god). They often act as Inari's messengers. Kitsune are known for keeping their promises and always trying to repay kindness.
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Understanding Kitsune Powers
Kitsune are believed to be messengers of death, which makes them even more important in supernatural tales. The more tails a kitsune has, the older, wiser, and more powerful it is. Some kitsune can have as many as nine tails! Because of their great power, some people even make offerings to them, like they would to a god.
How Kitsune Change Shape
The ability to change into a human is a key power for kitsune. They can look like men or women, young or old. This allows them to interact with humans in many ways. Sometimes they help, and sometimes they play tricks.
Kitsune and Their Tails
A kitsune's tails show its age and power. A young kitsune might have one tail. As it gains wisdom and magic, more tails grow. A nine-tailed fox, called a kyūbi no kitsune, is incredibly powerful and wise.
Kitsune in Japanese Stories
Kitsune appear in many Japanese stories and legends. They are often central characters, showing different sides of their nature. Some tales are about their clever tricks, while others show their loyalty and kindness.
Famous Kitsune Tales
Many plays and books feature kitsune. For example, the legend of Kuzunoha tells of a kitsune who falls in love with a human and has a child. She is known for her deep love and sadness. Another famous kitsune is Tamamo-no-Mae, a powerful and tricky nine-tailed fox.
Images for kids
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A nine-tailed fox spirit (kyūbi no kitsune) scaring Prince Hanzoku; print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Edo period, 19th century
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A nine-tailed fox, from the Qing edition of the ancient text Classic of Mountains and Seas
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Japan is home to two non-fictional red fox subspecies: the Hokkaido fox (Vulpes vulpes schrencki, pictured), and the Japanese red fox (V. v. japonica).
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The moon on Musashi Plain (fox) by Yoshitoshi
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This obake karuta ('monster card') from the early 19th century depicts a kitsune. The associated game involves matching clues from folklore to pictures of specific creatures.
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Inari Ōkami and its fox spirits help the blacksmith Munechika forge the blade Kogitsune-maru ('Little Fox') at the end of the 10th century. The legend is the subject of the noh drama Sanjō Kokaji.
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A depiction of a kitsunetsuki in the Gyokuzan Gafu by Okada Gyokuzan
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"Kitsunebi on New Year's Night under the Enoki Tree near Ōji" in the One Hundred Famous Views of Edo by Hiroshige. Each fox has a kitsunebi floating close to its face.
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Inari Ōkami appears to a warrior accompanied by a kitsune. This portrayal shows the influence of Dakiniten concepts from Buddhism. Print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi.
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The Fushimi Inari shrine in Kyoto features numerous kitsune statues.
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Tamamo-no-Mae, a legendary kitsune featured in noh and kyogen plays. Print by Yoshitoshi.
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The kitsune Kuzunoha casts a fox's shadow even in human form. Kuzunoha is a popular figure in folklore and the subject of kabuki plays. Print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi.
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Inro depicting the kitsune no yomeiri. The reverse side depicting the bride in a litter.
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See also
In Spanish: Kitsune para niños
