“Good evening, everyone. It’s been fanstastic night so far, and I am excited to be here, presenting my research on
one of the most famous legendary creatures of Japan. I am Dr. Inari and I am going to talk to you about
kitsune…also known as fox spirits. I’m sorry…what was that from the crowd? Isn’t a real kitsune here, you asked?
Well, you just sit still and be quiet, Mr. Reporter, and maybe you’ll get your scoop…”
“In Japanese folklore, these foxes possess great intelligence, long life, and magical powers. Foremost among these
is the ability to shapeshift into the form of a human. In fact, you may be sitting next to a kitsune right now!
How can you tell, you ask? Well, kitsune usually appear in the guise of a bewitchingly beautiful young woman,
although they have been known to appear as a young girl, or an old man. Many tales abound of a man marrying a
kitsune unawares. He finds his new bride to be very loving and devoted, but very secretive. And she might be
utterly terrified of dogs. Kitsune have a deep hatred of dogs, and, when confronted by one, may revert to their
true fox form. Another way that a kitsune may be discovered is that when her face casts a shadow in profile, one
sees not the shape of a woman, but the long nosed face and ears of a fox. The husband might also catch sight of
her tail, but only if she is a very careless fox, or a very young one.”
“Speaking of tails, a kitsune may possess as many as nine of them. Young foxes have only one and aren’t as good at
keeping up their human disguises as their older, more experienced sisters. Generally, the older and more powerful
the fox, the more tails that she has. Some sources say that a fox will grow an additional tail after she has lived
for a thousand years; others report that the transformation can take place in as short as fifty years. For each
additional millennium, another tail appears and the fox grows in wisdom and power. When a kitsune gains her ninth
tail, her fur becomes silver, white, or gold, and she is then called kyubi no kitsune. It means “nine tailed fox”.
These kyubi gain the power of infinite vision — they can see (and hear) anything happening anywhere in the world.
Some stories also grant to her infinite wisdom as well.”
“Other supernatural powers commonly attributed to the kitsune include the ability to generate fire or lightning
from their tails or to breathe fire -- known as kitsune-bi, literally "foxfire" -- the power to manifest in dreams,
the power to fly, and the ability to create illusions so elaborate as to be almost indistinguishable from reality. Some tales go further still, speaking of kitsune with the ability to bend time and space, to drive people mad, or
to take such nonhuman and fantastic shapes as a tree of incredible height or a second moon in the sky. Occasionally
kitsune are ascribed a characteristic reminiscent of vampires or succubi; they feed on the life or spirit of
humans, generally through sexual contact.”
“So, what do the kitsune do with all of these powers? Well, we – ahem, that is to say, they – enjoy tricking
humans and taking advantage of them. Favorite targets include overly proud samurai, greedy merchants, and boastful
commoners, although it is not unheard of for a cruel kitsune to abuse poor tradesmen and farmers or even monks!
They will rob their victims of money, property or reputation, or they may take control a human’s spirit and bend it
to their wills.”
“The historian Lafcadio
Hearn tells us that, ‘Strange is the madness of those into whom demon foxes enter. Sometimes they run
naked shouting through the streets. Sometimes they lie down and froth at the mouth, and yelp as a fox yelps. And on
some part of the body of the possessed a moving lump appears under the skin, which seems to have a life of its own.
Prick it with a needle, and it glides instantly to another place. By no grasp can it be so tightly compressed by a
strong hand that it will not slip from under the fingers. Possessed folk are also said to speak and write languages
of which they were totally ignorant prior to possession. They eat only what foxes are believed to like — tofu,
aburage, azukimeshi, etc. — and they eat a great deal, alleging that not they, but the possessing foxes, are
hungry.’”
“Those believed to be possessed by a kitsune are often subjected to violent beatings or have their skin burned, in
an attempt to dislodge the spirit from them. Sometimes, an entire family would be ostracized because one member
was believed to be controlled by a fox. The kitsune exerts her control over humans by the means of a pear shaped
ball called a hoshi no tama or star ball. I’m sorry, was that another question from the audience? Oh, my
necklace? You think it looks like a hoshi no tama? Oh how funny you are! Well, see me after the gala is
over and I’ll let you hold it and we’ll see what happens to you, eh?”
“As to the temperment of the kitsune, well, they are as fickle as they come. Despite her role as a trickster, she
will keep a promise she has given and she will strive to repay any favor she owes. Occasionally a kitsune will take
a liking to and attach itself to a certain person or household; as long as she is treated with respect, she will
use her powers for the benefit of her companion or hosts. This wasn’t always such a good thing, for kitsune don’t
adhere to the same notions of morality as humans do. A kitsune who has adopted a house might bring her host gifts
– that she stole from the neighbors! Any household suspected of harboring a fox, therefore, tends to be treated
with suspicion.”
“If enraged or mistreated, the most powerful kitsune can strike out with their fire and lightening and destroy
entire villages. Or, they may prefer to take their revenge by stealing that which is most precious to the one who
has offended them. Sure, kitsune don’t eat children or virgins, beat their scaly chests, or drip slime all over
the floors. But, they are very sly and dangerous beings, and not to be trifled with. So you all remember that
when it comes to handing out the accolades around here. Don’t make me shapeshift now! Oh dear…did I say that
aloud?”
CREDITS:
Wikipedia Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitsune
Graphics by: Shibori Murasaka
Images of kitsune taken from Wikimedia Commons and are in the public domain.
TRIVIA:
A nine tailed demon fox is featured in the anime Naruto, sealed inside the body of the main character.
The famous onmyoji -- or medium -- Abe no Seimei was said to be the child of a kitsune mother and a human father. His fox heritage gave him great power.
Shippo is a loveable kitsune from the anime Inu Yasha, who demonstrates the shapeshifting abilities of the fox, by turning into all manner of things.
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