In what season and episode did kitsune appear? Japanese mythology: Kitsune - werefox

The fox, found in the myths of Japan, China, and Korea, is a spirit, but not endowed with evil or good character traits. In the mythology of these countries, foxes are different, they have both similarities and differences. Their purpose is to monitor the balance of good and evil. The fox in Japanese mythology is called Kitsune.

Types of foxes in mythology

In Japanese mythology there are two types of foxes, red kitsune And Hokkaido fox. They are both endowed with knowledge, they have a long life, they have magical abilities. Foxes, according to myths, are able to move quickly, they have very good eyesight and sense of smell, and read people’s secret thoughts. It is believed that the life of a fox is not much different from the life of people, they walk on two legs,

Japanese mythology and folklore about foxes Kitsune - translated from Japanese, fox spirit. If you pay attention to folklore in Japan, a kitsune is a type of demon, although it is more accurate to say a mischief maker rather than a demon.

The sacred meaning of the fox

Any part of the fox's body is equipped with magic; by hitting it with its tail, it may cause a fire. She can change her appearance, turning either into a beautiful girl or into an old man, but this can be done when the fox reaches 100 years of age; before that she cannot do this. But this is not her main skill, she can move into a person, has magical knowledge, can travel in people’s dreams, and, like a fire-breathing dragon, breathes out fire.

In addition, they are often credited with such incredible abilities as turning into plants of unusual height and shape or creating a second celestial body. This all shows how powerful they are. Some myths describe how kitsune guard certain objects whose shape resembles a ball or pear. There is an assumption that whoever becomes the owner of this item will be able to subjugate the kutsine.

Since this ball contains part of their magic, they will be forced to obey, otherwise they will face a decrease in their level and the loss of part of their power.

In mythology there are two types of Kitsune:

Myobu- a divine fox, she is often associated with Inari, and she is the goddess of rice, which is why she is considered the messenger of God.
Nogitsune- a wild fox, according to myths she is often evil, her intentions are unkind.

The special significance of the fox in Japanese mythology is quite understandable; the fox is the messenger of the god Inari, who often does good deeds for people. In some cases, foxes are credited with unusual skills; they can create illusions when a person can lose reality.

Changing meaning of the fox in mythology

Having reached the age of 1000 years, the fox in Japanese mythology becomes stronger, it grows from 1 to 9 tails, the color of the fur also changes, it can be white or silver or even gold. In general, according to myths, foxes live a very long time, up to 8000 years. Nine tailed fox in Japanese mythology - a creature endowed great abilities. According to the myth, the god Inari brought the silver foxes closer to him, they began to serve him, swearing that they must always keep this oath.

In some legends, Inari is also represented as a fox, but in fact, this is a deity; there are always figurines of foxes next to his shrines, and before, living foxes were always kept near Inari temples.

The most famous and revered is the spirit - guardian of the Kyuubi, this is also a fox, they are considered the most intelligent and cunning creatures. They choose a lost soul and protect it for 2 days, but for some there is an exception and Kyuubi stays with this soul for much longer. The role of such a fox is to protect the lost soul; it accompanies them until incarnation. These foxes may even have multiple souls that they help.

Often evil kutsine are shown to be deceivers, but for their pranks they choose people with the shortcomings of the proud, evil, and greedy.

Fox is the guardian of the family

The belief that foxes can become family guardians has been preserved in Japan, but the owner of a fox cannot be an ordinary person, this is only accessible certain groups that belong to the same community. It is possible to join it only by becoming related to them, or by buying a house or land from them. Usually they try to reduce communication with such people because the neighbors are afraid of how their defender might react to them.

Some tales tell stories of foxes turning into beautiful women, cunning, dexterous foxes were skilled seductresses. They skillfully used this, seduced men and often became their wives. In such marriages, children were born who had special qualities.

The devotion of foxes' wives is noted in legends; they could live long enough, hiding their appearance, but if the real essence is revealed, the fox must leave her husband. But there are exceptions, according to one of the legends: the wife, frightened by the dogs, turned into a fox, but the husband, who loved her very much, could not part with her, especially since they had children. Lisa was unable to leave her family and returned every night.

If translated literally, kutsine means, let's go get some sleep. But this story is an exception; in all the others, the foxes left. It should be noted that children born from the wives of foxes had special abilities that are not available to humans, but they could not turn into foxes. Some of the stories tell about unsuccessful stories of fox seduction of men, when, due to inexperience, she poorly disguised her tail.

But it should be noted that listed species Not all foxes, there are many more of them.

For example, white fox Byakko, good sign, she is a real messenger of the gods. black fox There is no need to be afraid either, it is associated with goodness. But Fox Cuco this is an evil creature that needs to be feared, but it should be noted that the Japanese love their foxes, treat them with respect, it is believed that the souls of dead people move into the fox, these explain the fact that fox holes can often be found near burial places of people .

Video: Kitsune Fox Fashion Show

What is the meaning of kitsune? This concept refers to foxes that have supernatural skills, the main one of which is to transform or inhabit a person. The first mentions of them are found in and only later, the mystical belief in kitsune appeared in Japan, where it acquired specific details, turning into an independent folk element. According to legend, the deity Inari once descended to earth on a snow-white fox, giving people prosperity and fertility. Inari does not have a specific gender, and can appear before a person either in the form of a lovely girl or in the form of a gray-haired old man. The deity was accompanied by subordinates - magical foxes with a mischievous rather than a good disposition. The Japanese name for fox is kitsune. About them and we'll talk in the article.

Classification of kitsune species

Kitsune are extraordinary creatures of Japanese folklore. There are two types of them in myths. One of them is called the Hokkaido fox, and the second is called Kitsune. Both types are carriers of ancient knowledge, used as needed magical powers, live long life, and over time transform into a more advanced form. They have incredibly fine hearing and are able to see past and future events. When meeting such a red-haired prankster, you need to be on your guard, she knows how to read minds and will definitely try to fool the person she meets.

In Japanese mythology, kitsune is represented as an evil demon, but more often than not, the cunning werewolf spends his time creating traps and laughing at gullible travelers. There is another classification of foxes:

Myobu provides support to people and serves the deity Inari.
Nogitsune - a fox with an evil disposition, becomes a werewolf, terrifying the entire area with bloodthirsty actions.

Kitsune are unsurpassed hypnotists, capable of transporting a person to the future and past, and performing entire theatrical performances.

Always Coming: The Legend of the Kitsune

The Japanese composed a romantic legend, tinged with a touch of sadness, about mysterious girl, who turned out to be actually a kitsune. A young man from the Mino region named Ono set out to find a girl of extraordinary beauty. He asked his neighbors, looked closely at all the local beauties, but all in vain. One day the guy was completely exhausted from grief and his feet themselves led him to an abandoned wasteland. Among the milky fog, a fantastic sight opened up to him - a sophisticated charmer stood in a cloud of reddish hair, a spark of mischief splashed in her almond-shaped eyes.

Soon the wedding ended, and the young couple had a baby. At the same hour, the owner's dog gave birth to a puppy, who disliked the lady. He attacked the young mistress, and she turned into a fox and ran towards the wasteland. It began to call her in desperation: “Stay a fox if you like it better, but the doors of my house are always open for you. Come to me and our son, we will always be glad to see you.” Every night the mistress returned home, where she again acquired a human form, but in the morning she became a red fox. Therefore, “kitsu-ne” can be translated literally as “always coming.”

Kitsunetsuki - obsession or medical syndrome

There are two categories of foxes in Japanese mysticism: “Nogitsune” or free foxes and “Tenko”, who serve their mistress - the goddess Inari. In some cases, the spirit of a fox can enter a person in moments of weakness or anger. During its stay in human form, the spirit restores strength after injury.

IN medical practice sometimes the entry of a fox or Kitsunetsuki is noted. The possessed person can be recognized by his changed gastronomic tastes: love for poultry, tofu, rice, as well as nervousness and increased sexual activity. There is an opinion that this is how “fox blood” manifests itself. In ancient times, the possessed were given over to exorcists, and then purified by fire. Suspicion fell on people with a special type of appearance - thick hair, close-set almond-shaped eyes, an elongated and slightly snub nose. A kitsune can be recognized by its reflection in a mirror or by a cast shadow, although this statement does not apply to half-breeds and higher kitsune.

Magic Abilities: Kitsune Tail

As foxes grow older, they acquire increasingly powerful magical abilities. The youngest kitsune have only one tail. While learning the art of transformation, they cannot hide it well enough under their clothes. Over time, a fox may develop three, five, seven or even nine tails. The ability to hypnosis, create illusions, the ability to become invisible, fly and change the original form appears. Young foxes play pranks among people and love tricks and deception. Known stories romantic relationships between humans and one-tailed kitsune.

Creatures with five or seven tails have black fur; they are no longer afraid to appear in their real form. The elite among foxes are the nine-tailed kitsune, who have reached the venerable age of thousands of years. Such creatures have incredible magical abilities, and their skin takes on a golden, white or silver color. Higher ranks of foxes can live on their own or form the retinue of Inari no Kami. They have unlimited power over time and space, they can transform into any creature or object - huge tree, the second moon in the sky, a fire-breathing dragon. They subjugate masses of people to their will or bring madness to an entire settlement.

Foxes and flames

Since ancient times, there has been a legend that a werefox can cause a flame by hitting its tail on the ground. Kitsune are creatures who knew how to light a fire that did not cause harm, but real disasters also happened from the actions of werewolves. One of the monks was worried about a dream about a kitsune fox, so he began building a 7-story pagoda. As soon as it was built, a fire started, after which not only the pagoda burned down, but also many inhabitants died.

By the will-o'-the-wisps in the swamp they know where the kitsune are now frolicking. Red foxes breathe bluish flames or produce them from the tips of their tails. Before the New Year, kitsune from the nearest eight provinces gather to light a fox fire at the foot of an ancient tree. The people of Japan believed if bright flame visible far away, it means that heavenly foxes will bring prosperity and a rich harvest to the field.

The Art of Deception

Foxes have inexhaustible possibilities to create fantastic illusions and make people crazy. They create hallucinations that can briefly deprive a person of the ability to perceive reality adequately. One fox found out about the old man's greed and decided to laugh at him. He saw a huge field of beautiful chrysanthemums in the spring and rushed to collect armfuls of them. After all, in the fall, chrysanthemums bloom everywhere, and in the spring they can bring considerable income if you sell them on the market. Another kitsune decided to play a prank on an old woman who loved going to theatrical festivals. One day, grandma was returning home through a mountain pass and found herself in a real theater, where she saw a touching love story between a courageous samurai and a snow-white fox.

Revenge for the offense caused

Fox Kitsune takes revenge on her offenders with particular cruelty. A samurai once scared a werewolf, and he harbored a grudge. Two envoys from the master arrived at the warrior’s home with orders to immediately commit seppuku. The warrior wanted to immediately follow the order, but at the last moment the dogs recognized the werewolves, revealing the deception.

In another story, a samurai severely wounded a werewolf during a hunt, for which he turned into a man and burned down the offender’s house.

Avoid kitsune - avoid deception

Although in Japanese folklore the antics of a kitsune are treated with condescension, it is better not to meet her on the road, and if this happens, try to appease her. To dispel hallucinations, you need to read a Buddhist prayer or sprinkle salt around a fainted person, saying: “Werewolf, go away!” You can recognize a werewolf with the help of fire: if you bring it to a kitsune, it takes on its true form.

Fox lights or "kitsune-bi"

Werewolves can reveal their presence late at night music or twinkling lights on the wasteland. If a person shows interest and goes to find out what is happening, then no one can guarantee his safety. The source of the lights are star pearls that resemble gems or pearls endowed magical properties. Kitsune in fox form wear pearls around their necks or in their mouths. If you manage to take possession of such an artifact, the fox will grant any wish for the return of the valuable item.

It is worth remembering that a werewolf can call his friends for help, and then it is not a reward that awaits, but punishment. But magical creature must fulfill the wish of the insolent person, otherwise he will be demoted in status and position. In exchange for a pearl, a fox can give many gifts, but you should not ask for material items, because kitsune are masters of lies and tricks. In your hands, gold bars crumble into pieces of bark, money turns into leaves, and precious stones become pebbles. Intangible gifts from kitsune are extremely valuable - longevity, health, good luck in all matters.

Inari Shrines - Kitsune Worship

The god Inari has been associated with foxes in the Japanese minds for several centuries. There are now about 30 thousand Inari Shinto shrines in the country, which indicates the proximity of the deity to every home. The shrines can be recognized from afar - the torii gates are painted red, which is considered a talismanic color. The gates are painted with cinnabar, which has been applied to the face since ancient times to protect against the influence of evil forces. Over time, they stopped painting faces, but they still paint the gates of the god Inari, and also use red when creating kitsune. On both sides of the entrance to the temple territory sit foxes with their mouths closed or open; some hold in their teeth the keys to a barn with grain, ears of corn or a ball, symbolizing a stone that fulfills all wishes. Foxes are considered the patrons of trade, which is associated with the red color of the coat, denoting prosperity and wealth.

Kitsune mask symbolism

The Japanese purchase ceramic foxes and kitsune masks to decorate their homes, and families also go to the temple to ask the deity for wealth and prosperity. When creating Japanese mask Kitsune traditionally use two colors - white and red. White is considered a symbol of nothingness, and red is perceived as the sun and fire. Just as fire can appear in two forms, so a kitsune can either bring blessing and warmth, or destruction and fire.

Kitsune (Japanese) - Japanese name foxes. There are two subspecies of foxes in Japan: the Japanese red fox (Hondo kitsune, native to Honshu; Vulpes vulpes japonica) and the Hokkaido fox (Kita kitsune, native to Hokkaido; Vulpes vulpes schrencki).

In Japanese folklore, these animals have great knowledge, long life and magical abilities. Chief among them is the ability to take the form of a person; the fox, according to legend, learns to do this after reaching a certain age (usually a hundred years, although in some legends - fifty).

Kitsune usually take the form of a seductive beauty, a pretty young girl, but sometimes they also turn into old men.

It should be noted that in Japanese mythology there was a mixture of indigenous Japanese beliefs, which characterized the fox as an attribute of the goddess Inari, and Chinese, which considered foxes to be werewolves, close to demons.

"For ordinary zoology chinese fox not very different from the rest, but that's not true for Kitsune. Statistics indicate that its lifespan ranges from eight hundred to a thousand years. It is believed that this creature brings misfortune and that every part of the fox's body has a magical purpose. He only needs to hit the ground with his tail to cause a fire, he can predict the future and take on the forms of old people, or innocent youths, or scientists. He is cunning, cautious, skeptical. Finds satisfaction in small tricks and storms. After death, the souls of people move to Lisov. Their holes are found near cemeteries." (Jorge Luis Borges "Book of Fictitious Creatures")

In folklore, a kitsune is a type of yokai, or demon. IN in this context the word "kitsune" is often translated as "fox spirit". However, this does not necessarily mean that they are not living creatures or that they are anything other than foxes. The word "spirit" in in this case used in the Eastern sense, reflecting a state of knowledge or insight. Any fox that lives long enough can thus become a "fox spirit."

"Types" and names of kitsune:
Bakemono Kitsune are magical or demonic foxes, such as Reiko, Kiko or Koryo, that is, some kind of immaterial fox.
Byakko - "white fox", a very good omen, usually has the sign of service to Inari and acts as a messenger of the Gods.
Genko - "black fox". Usually a good sign.
Yako or Yakan - almost any fox, the same as Kitsune.
Kiko is a "spirit fox", a type of Reiko.
Koryo is a "stalking fox", a type of Reiko.
Kuko or Kuyuko (in the sense of “u” with the sound “yu”) is an “air fox”, extremely bad and harmful. Has an equal place with Tengu in the pantheon.
Nogitsune is a "wild fox" and is also used to distinguish between "good" and "bad" foxes. Sometimes the Japanese use "Kitsune" to name a good fox messenger from Inari and "Nogitsune" - foxes that commit mischief and trick people. However, this is not a real demon, but rather a mischief-maker, prankster and trickster. Their behavior is reminiscent of Loki from Scandinavian mythology.
Reiko is a "ghost fox", sometimes not on the side of Evil, but definitely not good.
Tenko - "divine fox". Kitsune who reached the age of 1000 years. They usually have 9 tails (and sometimes a golden skin), but each of them is either very “bad” or benevolent and wise, like Inari’s messenger.
Shakko - "red fox". Can be both on the side of Good and on the side of Evil, the same as Kitsune.

The heavenly patron of kitsune is the goddess of rice Inari. Their statues are an integral part of the temples in her honor. Moreover, some sources indicate that Inari herself is the highest kitsune. She is usually accompanied by two snow-white foxes with nine tails. Inari is especially popular in Kyushu, where an annual festival is held in her honor. At the festival, the main dish is fried tofu, bean curd (something like our cheesecakes) - it is in this form that both kitsune and quite ordinary Japanese foxes prefer it. There are temples and chapels dedicated to kitsune as such.

One of the famous Kitsune is also the great guardian spirit Kyuubi. This is a guardian spirit and protector who helps young “lost” souls on their path in the current incarnation. Kyuubi usually stays for a short time, only a few days, but if attached to one soul, it can accompany it for years. This is a rare type of kitsune that rewards a lucky few with its presence and assistance.

The question of the origin of kitsune is complex and poorly defined. Most sources agree that some people who have not led the most righteous, secretive and obscure way of life become kitsune after death. After the kitsune is born, it grows and gains strength. A kitsune reaches adulthood at the age of 50-100, at which time it acquires the ability to change shape. The level of power of a werefox depends on age and rank - which is determined by the number of tails and the color of the skin.

Kitsune can have up to nine tails. In general, it is believed that the older and stronger the fox, the more tails it has. Some sources even claim that kitsune grows an additional tail every hundred or thousand years of its life. However, foxes found in fairy tales almost always have one, five, or nine tails.

When kitsune receive nine tails, their fur turns silver, white, or gold. These kyubi no kitsune ("nine-tailed foxes") gain the power of infinite insight. In a similar way In Korea, it is said that a fox that has lived for a thousand years turns into a gumiho (literally "nine-tailed fox"), but the Korean fox is always depicted as evil, unlike the Japanese fox, which can be either benevolent or malevolent. Chinese folklore also features "fox spirits" with many similarities to kitsune, including the possibility of nine tails.

; Vulpes vulpes schrencki).

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Folklore

In Japanese folklore, these animals have great knowledge, long life and magical powers. Chief among them is the ability to take the form of a person; the fox, according to legend, learns to do this after reaching a certain age (usually a hundred years, although in some legends it is fifty). Kitsune usually take the form of a seductive beauty, a pretty young girl, but sometimes they also turn into men. It should be noted that in Japanese mythology there was a mixture of indigenous Japanese beliefs that characterized the fox as an attribute of the god Inari (see, for example, the Legend - “Fox-weight”) and Chinese, which considered foxes to be werewolves, a family close to demons.

Other powers commonly attributed to kitsune include the ability to inhabit the bodies of others, to breathe or otherwise create fire, to appear in others' dreams, and the ability to create illusions so complex that they are almost indistinguishable from reality. Some of the tales go further, talking about kitsune with the ability to bend space and time, drive people crazy, or take such inhuman or fantastic shapes, like trees of indescribable height or a second moon in the sky. Occasionally, kitsune are credited with characteristics reminiscent of vampires: they feed on the life force or spiritual force of people they come into contact with. Sometimes kitsune are described as guarding a round or pear-shaped object ( Hoshi no Tama, that is, “star ball”); it is stated that whoever takes possession of this ball can force the kitsune to help himself; one theory states that kitsune “store” part of their magic in this ball after transformation. Kitsune are required to keep their promises or face punishment by reducing their rank or power level.

Kitsune are associated with both Shinto and Buddhist beliefs. In Shinto, kitsune are associated with Inari, the patron deity of rice fields and entrepreneurship. Initially, foxes were messengers ( tsukai) this deity, but now the difference between them has become so blurred that Inari himself is sometimes depicted as a fox. In Buddhism they gained fame due to the popular IX-X centuries in Japan, the Shingon school of secret Buddhism, one of whose main deities, Dakini, was depicted riding across the sky on a fox.

In folklore, a kitsune is a type of yokai, that is, a demon. In this context, the word "kitsune" is often translated as "fox spirit." However, this does not necessarily mean that they are not living creatures or that they are anything other than foxes. The word "spirit" in this case is used in the Eastern sense, reflecting a state of knowledge or insight. Any fox that lives long enough can thus become a "fox spirit." There are two main types of kitsune: myobu, or divine fox, often associated with Inari, and nogitsune, or wild fox (literally "fox of the field"), often, but not always, described as evil, having malicious intent.

When kitsune receive nine tails, their fur turns silver, white, or gold. These kyuubi no kitsune(“nine-tailed foxes”) gains the power of infinite insight. Similarly, in Korea it is said that a fox that lives for a thousand years turns into gumiho(Kumiho) (literally "nine-tailed fox"), but the Korean fox is usually depicted as evil, unlike Japanese fox, which can be either benevolent or malevolent. Chinese folklore also features “fox spirits” (huli-jing), which are similar in many ways to kitsune, including the possibility of possessing nine tails.

In some stories, kitsune have difficulty hiding their tail in human form (usually foxes in such stories have only one tail, which may be an indication of the fox's weakness and inexperience). An attentive hero can expose a drunken or careless fox who has turned into a human by seeing his tail through his clothes.

One of the famous kitsune is also a great guardian spirit Kyubi. This is a guardian spirit and protector who helps young “lost” souls on their path in the current incarnation. Kyuubi usually stays for a short time, only a few days, but if attached to one soul, it can accompany it for years. This is a rare type of kitsune that rewards a lucky few with its presence and assistance. Kyuubi can control natural phenomena, time and take people to other worlds, from where they soon return as very old people. But, as a rule, such foxes rarely harm people.

In Japanese folklore, kitsune are often described as tricksters, sometimes very evil ones. Trickster kitsune use their magical powers to play pranks: those shown in a benevolent light tend to target overly proud samurai, greedy merchants, and boastful people, while more cruel kitsune seek to torment poor merchants, farmers, and Buddhist monks.

Kitsune are also often described as lovers. Such stories usually involve a young man and a kitsune disguised as a woman. Sometimes the kitsune is assigned the role of a seductress, but often similar stories rather romantic. In such stories, a young man usually marries a beauty (not knowing that she is a fox) and gives great value her devotion. Many such stories have a tragic element: they end with the discovery of a fox entity, after which the kitsune must leave her husband.

The oldest of famous stories about fox wives, which gives the folklore etymology of the word “kitsune”, is an exception in this sense. Here the fox takes the form of a woman and marries a man, after which the two, after spending several happy years together, have several children. Her fox essence is unexpectedly revealed when, in the presence of many witnesses, she is afraid of a dog, and in order to hide, she takes on her true appearance. Kitsune prepares to leave home, but her husband stops her, saying: “Now that we have been together for several years and you have given me several children, I cannot simply forget you. Please, let’s go and sleep.” The fox agrees, and since then returns to her husband every night in the form of a woman, leaving the next morning in the form of a fox. After that they began to call her kitsune- because in classical Japanese kitsu-ne means "let's go and sleep", while ki-tsune means "always coming."

Kitsune have always followed the goddess Inari. Foxes were not only companions of the goddess, but also spoke her will.
Kitsune have 5 or 9 tails. Basically, they turn into a person in order to fool people, but there are many legends about how a kitsune, taking the guise of a woman, got married and became a devoted wife. However, if the lover exposed the kitsune (for example, by seeing her tails), the fox would run away, leaving the house.
A kitsune's magic grows with age and experience. If the abilities of a one-tailed young kitsune are very small, then over time they gain the abilities of strong hypnosis and the creation of cunning illusions. Thanks to magical pearls, kitsune can protect themselves with fire and lightning. Sometimes one acquires the art of floating, being invisible and taking on all sorts of forms. Old kitsune control time, can become dragons, giant trees, the second moon in the sky; They know how to induce madness in people and conquer them en masse.

As they get older, foxes change: they have 3, 5, 7 and 9 tails. Interestingly, 3-tailed foxes are especially rare - perhaps at this stage they are serving somewhere (or honing their skills...). 5- and 7-tailed kitsune, often black in color, mainly appear in front of people when they need it, without hiding their own essence. The 9-tails are the elite kitsune, their age is more than a thousand years. 9-tailed foxes mainly have silver, snow-white or golden skin, and a lot of huge magical abilities. When joining the retinue of Inari no Kami, they can serve her, or be alone. Although, some, following the goddess, cannot resist creating small and large nasty things - the great Tamamo no Mae, instilling fear in Asia from India to the Land of the Rising Sun, was just a 9-tailed kitsune...

In Japanese mythology, foxes are divided into 2 groups: those serving Inari "Tenko" (Heavenly kitsune), and "Nogitsune" (Free kitsune). They say that at times these foxes can possess a person, creating an impression similar to the Christian “possession of a demon.”
In ancient times, such people, according to custom, were burned - especially if “exorcism of the demon” did not help in any way, and the fox was not expelled; and their families were subject to obstruction, and were often forced to leave their own homes.
According to Japanese beliefs, “fox blood” can also be detected by appearance. Suspicion of werewolves was aroused by those who had very thick hair or close-set eyes, a narrow face, a long and snub (“fox”) nose, and high cheekbones. It was believed that in order to detect a kitsune you need to use mirrors or shadows, this was the most reliable way, however, it was not applicable to the elders and half-breeds. And also the principled and mutual hatred of foxes and their descendants for dogs.

For China, myths about love between people and foxes are uncharacteristic, as are stories about their relationships in general. Moreover, in China, unlike Japan, it is believed that meeting a kitsune is a bad sign.

This is what they are, these creatures, subjects of the goddess Inari. Funny and snide, dreamy and sassy. They can commit a terrible crime and sacrifice themselves for a higher purpose. Possessing enormous power and magic, they can lose due to ordinary human weaknesses. They thirst for human blood and energy, but having made friends with people, they become the most devoted friends and lovers.