Kitsune, The Japanese Fox

[Mevv]

I had to do this as a report. It's about foxes and their importance mostly in Japan.



Kitsune

Foxes ,or kitsune, are found all around the world. eating small animals, including chickens, they have been less than welcomed guests to most people. Foxes are known primarily as sly tricksters. Yet in Japan they have been related to gods, play a role in history and are found in many myths. Their importance has no limits. The sight of these animals in the eyes of travelers has bestowed upon the species a for of divine existance and respect passed on through the ages.

The fox's fame and glory first originated with the god named Inari in the 11th century. It was then that they became related to Inari, the god of rice, as messangers and protectors. Inari was portrayed as both male and female. Sometimes foxes were seen flanking a man holding rice. While otheres showed a beautiful woman riding upon a myobu, or white celestial fox. It is believed this relation occured when farmers saw foxes come down from the mountains in time for the growing season. Thus, their presence indicated the time of growth and became known as Inar's messangers. Yet as time passed statues of Inari faded, leaving in it's place only the sculptures of foxes.

Inari Shrines reach an amazing total of 20,000 in Japan. They can be identified by thier small size, bright red gates and the always present fox figures. Said to please the mischief ways of the foxes offerings of flowers, sake, or fried tofu, a supposed favorite, are given to the shrines. Appearing on most road sides travelers may still show respect with a clap of the hands.

A kitsune, "fox spirit", is no spirit at all. The word spirit in Eastern sense reflects a state of knowledge or enlightenment. Any fox can become a kitsune with enough time. With each 100 years a tail is grown until the kitsune reaches a maximum of nine tails. It is common for a fox with more tails to exhibit wisdom beffitting it's age. In most writings, the average amount of tails seen by one is one, five, or nine. But a fox with an alternative number is also possible. A kyubi no kitsune, nine-tailed fox, has lived 1,000 or more years with fur that turns a stunning color of gold, white, or silver. With this, they also gain the power of infinite vision, able to see what has not yet come. According to onmarkproductions, the color and number of foxes seen can fortell the situation. "A black fox is good luck, a white fox is calamity; three foxes together portend disaster." (p.7) However, other sources claim that all colored foxes are good luck.

No matter what color or age, there is one thing they all posses. Called the Star ball, this round jewel is carried around with the fox every where it goes. Jewels are a symbol of Inari and seeing a kitsune without one held in it's mouth or tail is rare. If this jewel is stollen or lost the fox is entitledto aid the person who found it in exchange for it's return. Not abiding these rules can result in harsh punishment or loss of one of it's tails.

It is well known that a normal fox lives in mysterious ways, avoid of human interaction. But it is believed a kitsune's shape shifting powers are what makes it so elusive. Able to take any form, living or non-living, the guise of a beautifl woman is often preffered. Yet the form a fox takes on is not limited by it's own age or gender. Jumping into bushes and running off in a different form gives the perfect chance to escape. As a woman it leads men and weak of mind astray.

If all else fails the kitsune still has the ability to posses it's victim. Entering through the finder tips or chest, the fox can alter and control it's host. All the way to the early 20th century doctors declared a person with a fever and unexplainable behavior to be possessed. Exorcisms were tried and it failed victims were often treated badly, beaten or burned. Family members were ostracized. All in an attempt to exspell the haunting trickster. According to Wikipedia, " victims never again eat tofu." (p. 1-5)

Yet out of all it's abilities the most commonly heard of is fox flare or fox fire. Creating a levatating orb of glowing fire, it lures pedlars and merchants astray, sometimes lost for days. Legends of the kitsune can also be found in Korea. To them the kitsune is always evil. In Japan, the fox can be either good or bad. Those devoted to Inari are good. In Timberwolf and Shadowfox's Kitsune Page, there is a story of a fox being saved by a wood cutter. In exchange the vixen allows the man to sell her to a brothel and later runs away, leaving the wood cutter wealthy. (Mythes and ancient legends.)

One story speaks of a fox wife. Dating back to 545 A.D. it is the oldest story of a fox wife. Scared by a dog, the kitsune reverted back to her true form to run away. It is not until her husband asks for her return that she comes home every night in the form of a woman and leaves as a fox. It is not uncommon in stories for a fox to lose it's human shape. One reverts immediately if noticed by a dog. A reflection or shadow easily proves it is a fox and some times calreles foxes can let their own tails show. Even Devout individuals can see past a foxes guise.

And yet a foxes importance doesn't stop in Japan. When it rains on a clear day we may call it, the devil beating his wife. But in Japan and several other places it is known as, the fox's bride going to her husband's house, or simply kitsune wedding, after an old tale of a fox wedding on a clear, rainy day.

Over the years the kitsune has been portrayed as being bent on harrassing samurai, greedy merchants, and boastful commoners. But no where else in the world has the fox been such an importance to it's traditions then Japan. Related to Inari, god of rice, the fox brought the growth of Japan's most important food source, helped those in need and showed wisdom prized by many. There may be no other animal that has had so much importance.


Recources,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/kitsune
http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/oinari.shtml
http://www.coyotes.org/kitsune
http://www.gutenberg.org:80/files13015/13015-h.htm
http://asianart.com/articles/rubin

[Cloud731]

Foxes are cool. Especially the ninja ones!!!

[Mevv]

LOL I'm starting to wonder if showing off those things was a good idea.

[Cloud731]

Yeah it was.

[Mevv]

How can you get away with such short replies? lol I get in trouble. So did you read the article yet? what did you think about it?

[Cloud731]

It's good[If you did write it yourself]. Especailly since the fox is like...my third favorite animal. :fox :

[Mevv]

.... lmao I better of written it myself. I did it for a report and if I cheated I would of failed and probably a detention or two as well. I put up all my resources and since I don't know exactly how to do resource qoutes all that well I'm sure I missed where some should of gone.

[Cloud731]

What grade are you in?[I wanna do a report on foxes too!!!!]

[Mevv]

12th,....... And Reports like this aren't all fun. This one took me over a month to do. I had to do roughs, flash cards, and bibliography cards.... -_- it was annoying.

[Cloud731]

Ewww. Forget it. 12th is so far away anyway. I'm only in eighth... =P