Kitsune: The Spirit of Fox

A Kitsune is a wild fox demon from the Japanese folklore who possesses people. According to the lore, in ancient times, foxes and humans lived close together. The Kitsunes are wild demons with the ability to shapeshift into human forms most especially into the form of a beautiful young woman. They have many tails (some have nine) and it is stated that the more the tails, the more the wisdom and power of the fox demon.

Over the years, Kitsune became an object of reverence as locals rendered sacrifices. For some, they are seen as witch animals or as goblins which should not be easily trusted. Calling the Kitsune a fox spirit simply refers to its supernatural and mystical state of spiritual enlightenment.

 

Description:

Appearances:

The popular appearance is that of a fox with nine or more tails. When in the form of a beautiful woman, they are known for sexually terrorizing male victims and feeding on their blood through sexual contact.

Abilities:

• Kitsunes often possess people such as the ninko which is an invisible fox spirit that human beings can only see or get wind of when it possesses them.
• They can also shape-shift into a child or elderly man form.
• The kitsune can fly and generate fire or lightning.
• They can manifest in people’s dreams and create illusions.
• They are said to possess great powers including being able to bend time and space, drive people mad or take fantastic shapes such as an incredibly tall tree or a second moon in the sky.

The Kitsune can easily be classified under two main categories which are:

• The Zenko which are benevolent, celestial foxes associated with the Inari. They are also referred to as Inari foxes.
• The Yako are field foxes that are malicious and mischievous in nature. They are also referred to as the negitsune foxes.

There is also the ninko fox spirit that humans can see when it possesses them.

Kitsunes as powerful shape-shifting spirits:

A Kitsune can take on a human form either after it has reached 50 (fifty) or 100 (hundred) years. Before it begins this transformation, the fox will place a leaf, reed or a skull over its head, then it can shape-shift to forms ranging from young boys to elderly men, young girls to beautiful women. There is no limitation as to what they can shapeshift into as a male fox can actually shapeshift into a beautiful girl.

Due to the fact that Kitsunes love shape-shifting into beautiful women, locals believed that any beautiful woman met at night or dusk, with attractive facial appearances such as a narrow face with close-set eyes, thin eyebrows and high cheekbones could be a fox often (commonly called the Kitsune-gao or fox-face).

While in their human forms, Kitsune have fox-traits like a coating of fine hair, a fox’s shadow or reflection and difficulty in hiding their tails. According to another lore, Kitsune can reveal its form when drunk and the sight of a dog can cause a Kitsune in human form to transform into a fox again and flee.

Working with a Kitsune:

Possession/Kitsune tsuki:

Possession by the fox demon or a Kitsune is commonly referred to as kitsune-tsuki. Cases of Kitsune-tsuki have been recorded in Japan since the 12th century. Some are believed to be revenge for the wrong done by a family to a spirit.

Most of the victims are females as the spirit enters the body either through the breast or under the fingernails. It lives and dwells on the left side of the body or in the stomach. The victim hears the fox spirit speak inside her head; when she talks out loud, the fox spirit takes on a different voice.

The possessed then exhibits cravings for a certain food, especially beans or rice which are demanded by the demon, sometimes as a condition of its departure. The victim also suffers from insomnia, restlessness, and aberrant behavior.

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.

Going further:

Generally, the number of tails of a Kitsune indicates how old and powerful it is.  Some folk tales say that a fox will only grow additional tails after it has lived 100 years.

One, five, seven, and nine tails are the most common numbers in folk stories. When a kitsune gains its ninth tail, its fur becomes white or gold.

These kyūbi no kitsune (nine-tailed foxes) have the ability to see and hear anything happening anywhere in the world. Other tales credit them with infinite wisdom.

After reaching 1,000 years of age and gaining its ninth tail, a kitsune turns into a golden color, becoming a ‘Tenko’, literally “heavenly fox/celestial fox” the most powerful form of the kitsune, and then ascends to the heavens.

Citations:

1: The Encyclopedia of Demons and Demonology

2:https://www.tofugu.com/japan/kitsune-yokai-fox/

3:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitsune