What are kitsune?

Kitsune is an animal supposed to be mysterious, fascinating, and mischievous. And he is believed to be very grateful for the kindness done to him, as seen in many tales, and is also affectionate as revealed in some dramas. He is enshrined as a god because of his supernatural power. He is endowed with the subtle art of metamorphosis, and he is able to bewitch men in the guise of a charming girl. An exceedingly interesting and entertaining beast Kitsune is. (Introductory excerpt from Kitsune: Japan's Fox of Mystery, Romance, and Humor by Kiyoshi Nozaki)

Kitsune is actually the Japanese word for fox. In Japan the fox is revered as an intelligent yet mischievous being, and hence are a common character in Japanese folk tales. Foxes and human beings lived in close proximity in ancient Japan; and as with all cultures, this relationship gave rise to legends about the creatures. Initially kitsune were associated with Inari who was a kami (spirit) of the Shinto religion. Kami are spirits of nature who were in tune with the elements and possessed many abilities.Inari is the god of fortune, foxes and rice (ine means rice crops, and ri is a suffix found in many religious words) .Due to such important associations the Inari shrine is one of the most famous, and most numerous of any shrine in Japan. The symbol of Inari is the red torii (religious gateway), with the image of two white foxes. Kitsune were essentially foxes who served his messengers, and protectors of the temple dedicated to Inari. Because of their potential power, the perception of kitsune slowly morphed from mere animalservants into that of powerful spirits that could be worshipped independently. Their preferred form was that of a fox, or a beautiful young girl with fox-like chacteristics. as

Etymology of the word and origin of legends

There are many theories on how the word kitsune was derived. The most basic yet widely accepted theory suggests that it comes from two sounds in the Japanese language, kitsu, which is the sound of a fox yelp, and ne, a word signifying affectionate feeling. In ancient times, kitsu meant 'fox'. The kitsunes personality as a spiritual being had originated from India. Their values and core attributes were similar to that of the rakshasa (monsters) of Indian mythology. This influence seems to have spread inland into Japan through China and Korea, and the Japanese seemed to like the kitsune so much, that they adapted it into their culture. According to Japanese legend the temple of Inari became first associated with foxes, when a fox couple sought shelter in the temple. They, and their five children, were given sanctuary and protection by Inari, in exchange for their servitude to Inari. Since then, the foxes have served Inari faithfully. The temple of Inari has two levels, the upper level, and the lower level. The Upper Temple was served by the male, black colored kitsune named Osusuki, and the Lower Temple was served by the female white coated kitsune named Akomachi. Due to this both genko (black foxes) and byako (white foxes) are seen as good omens in oriental culture. These oaths allowed the kitsune to gain power through the shrine itself, and to be able to live there. The kitsune, in turn, protected those who work and live near the shrine, and aid those who come to them for help. When a nogitsune (a kitsune who doesn't serve Inari), starts harassasing the people near an Inari shrine, the people can come to the kitsune of Inari for aid.

Role
There are two common classifications of kitsune. The zenko (literally good foxes) are benevolent, celestial foxes associated with the god Inari, and the nogitsune (literally wild foxes) which were mischievous and sometimes malicious. There are even more ways to classify the types of kitsune (by the element that they are attuned to, or their habitat) but this classification varies widely from region to region

As spirits kitsune are expected to serve the people who live on or near the land. In exchange, the people offer gifts, and prayers to the kitsune, to keep them happy. This is sort of a pact, where the kitsune follow a code of etiquette, in exchange for being tended to.

For a kitsune to actively get involved, one strong requirement would be for either a prayer or offering to be made to the kitsune, or for someone to accept, willingly, the kitsune's presence and aid. Barring possession or taking mortal form, the kitsune has the option of simply just 'appearing', like any kami might. But this interference in mortal life in such a direct manner would have to be few and far between, however, since doing so is a disruption of the natural order that the Japanese believe in (other worldly sprits should not actively interfere with the normal human cycle), and would take its toll on the land and people around it. A kitsune just 'appearing' means either the walls of the spirit world and the physical world are weak, or could possibly be taken as an omen. Whatever the reason, a manifested kitsune is a very rare and very noticeable event... Such a creature would require offerings, prayers, or some source of energy to be able to appear, or to remain for long periods, and is most likely in their domain. Due to the disruption of natures balance, the area the kitsune is in will suffer. Sickness, blight, and other such plagues would be part and parcel of the kitsune's ongoing existence. Famines, droughts, and natural disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis were hence explained this way in ancient times.

Characteristics
All kitsune are believed to possess some sort of supernatural power like other spirits, as they are kami in the form of a fox. Superior intelligence, long life and shape-shifting were some of of the common powers that all kitsune have. Physically, kitsune are noted for having as many as nine tails. Generally, a greater number of tails indicates an older and more powerful fox; it is said that a fox will only grow an additional tails every 100 years. Some other sources say that it gains a tail when it does an honorable deed, and looses a tail when it does something disgraceful. When a kitsune gains its ninth tail, they are called kybi no kitsune (nine-tailed foxes) and they have the gain the abilities to see and hear anything happening anywhere in the world. Depending on what kind of kitsune it is, they will either bring great luck or misfortune wherever it goes. Many legends, however, also place a lifespan on kitsune of about 900 years to 1000 years. After this, the kitsune has gained enough wisdom/power, that they leave, and rejoin the Celestial Courts. The Lady is a unique type of kitsune, appearing as a ten-tailed kitsune, or a thousand-tailed kitsune. There are no other kitsune with more than nine tails. She is considered the mother of the kitsune race, and all serve her in one manner or another. A kitsune may take on human form; an ability learned when it reaches a certain age usually 100 years. Common forms assumed by kitsune include beautiful women, young girls, or elderly men but actually kitsune can transform into anything. Common belief in medieval Japan was that any woman encountered alone, especially at dusk or night, could be a fox.

Usually kitsune seem to have difficulty hiding their tails when they take human form; looking for the tail, perhaps when the fox gets drunk or careless, is a common method of discerning the creature's true nature. It is also said the kitsune retain other fox like traits, such as a coating of fine hair, a fox-shaped shadow, or a reflection that shows its true form. Kitsune are said to have a fear and hatred of dogs even while in human form, and some become so rattled by the presence of dogs that they revert to the shape of a fox and flees.

Abilities
Realms Kitsune are able to make small pockets in reality, folding space and time to suit their needs. They can turn a hole under a floorboard into a small estate, and turn a small field into a kingdom, complete with people, animals, and weather. Time seems to flow faster inside these realms. For every day in the real world, up to seven years can pass in the realm, for those who are in it. Possession As spirits, kitsune can possess whoever they wish. The victim is always a young woman, whom the fox enters beneath her fingernails. In some cases, the victims' facial expressions are said to change in such a way that they resemble those of a fox. Japanese tradition holds that fox possession can cause illiterate victims to temporarily gain the ability to read. In medicine, this kind of possession is an actually ethnic psychosis unique to Japanese culture. Those who suffer from the condition believe they are possessed by a fox. Symptoms include cravings for rice or sweet red beans, listlessness, restlessness, and aversion to eye contact. Shape shifting A kitsune can transform into anything found in nature. This means they can turn into trees, forests, rocks, water, or other people. The limits are that the transformation does not give them the innate abilities of the form they have taken, and they are vulnerable to what can harm that form. The Kitsune's Ball When in human form, kitsune have a small white ball that it guards closely. If you can get your hands on one, you can have the kitsune promise to aid you in return for the ball. Most kitsune use the ball just like it appears, as a normal children's ball. One theory, though, is that the kitsune places a portion of their power into this item, while possessing mortals, or while in human form. Kitsune Seduction A form of mind control, the kitsune ability of 'seduction' is one of the most commonlymentioned skills in legends. By using their tail or tails in a swaying manner, or by meeting the gaze of a target, the kitsune is capable of taking over their mind. While under the control of the

kitsune, the victim sees, thinks, and lives in a world designed by the kitsune, all inside the target's mind. The target is controlled until someone breaks the magic the kitsune's using. Foxfire By rubbing their tails together, a kitsune can make lightning or fire. The kitsune can also, to a small range, breathe out fire. Kitsune can also make small 'fox lanterns', by producing small balls of fire to float around them, and guide their way. This fire can be used as a weapon, or as a toy.