Yokai Kitsune Japanese Folklore

Some of them have never appeared in english before while others will be intimately familiar to fans of japanese folklore.

Yokai kitsune japanese folklore. Kyōrinrin possessed scrolls or papers. Kunekune a tall slender strip of paper sheet that wiggles on rice or barley fields during hot summer. Kumo yōkai a japanese spider demon. Kyōkotsu a skeletal figure that emerges from a well. Japanese folklore is a rich tapestry of mischievous spirits child eating monsters and shape shifting animals a little knowledge of which can give great insight into the culture when you visit. Kitsune 狐狸精 the japanese fox spirit is also known as the kumiho 구미호 in korea and the huli jing 狐狸精 in china. Kitsune is included in a large group of creatures known as yokai yōkai demons goblins spirits apparitions leprechauns that are feared admired and worshiped almost as deities.

Japanese people believed in their magical foxes well into the eighteenth century. And on many of. Kitsune in the literal sense is the japanese word for fox. Certain mental disorders have been attributed to possession by kitsune known as kitsunetsuki. They are basically the same creature but with a few differences based on region. Stories depict them as intelligent beings and as possessing magical abilities that increase with their age and wisdom. In english kitsune refers to them in this context.

They vex their targets by creating phantom sounds and sights stealing from them or otherwise humiliating them publicly. In english kitsune refers to them in this context. They can be found as statues around ancient shrines for inari on calligraphy scrolls by japan s finest artists and of course in thousands of folktales. Kitsune first debuted in japanese literature in the eighth century and their legend has never faded since. According to yōkai folklore all foxes have the ability to shape shift into men or women. According to yōkai folklore all foxes have the ability to shapeshift into human form. Foxes are a common subject of japanese folklore.

Foxes are a common subject of japanese folklore. While some folktales speak of kitsune employing this ability to trick others as foxes in folklore often do. Within these pages you ll find an ever growing collection of yokai and legends from all parts of japan and all periods of japanese history. Stories depict legendary foxes as intelligent beings and as possessing paranormal abilities that increase with their age and wisdom.