Mythological creatures of Japan "the kitsune"

In Japan, kitsune means fox, and represents a forest spirit in the shape of a fox that takes care of forests and villages. Its origin goes back to Ancient Japan, when these animals lived in harmony with humans, deriving endless legends.

Kitsune is an important figure in Japanese mythology, as it is believed that the fox is an intelligent being with magical abilities that increase with age, as well as their knowledge. The older, the more wise and powerful he is, and the amount of strain increases, reaching nine in all as the most powerful of them.

Kitsune is metamorphos, that is, can become a beautiful young woman, an old man, or even emulate the appearance of a specific human being. In this way, he often makes mischief with people, but as an animal his role is as a guardian. According to some legends, the kitsune are complicated to hide their tails when they become people and their shadows keeps the shape of the fox, which reveals the true identity.

The kitsune is associated with the god Shinto Inari, god of fertility, agriculture, rice and foxes. It is his messenger and his servant, and this role helps reinforce his special powers, which are grateful for men with offerings, just as if he were a deity.

But kitsune is a type of yōkai, or spiritual entity, and the word kitsune is sometimes translated as "fox spirit". However, being a spirit does not mean that it is a ghost or that it differs from common foxes. In Japan, the word "spirit" reflects a state of knowledge or enlightenment, since all long-lived foxes acquire supernatural powers.

In general terms, there are two common kinds of kitsune: on the one hand are the zenko or "foxes of Inari", which are benevolent and are associated with said god; They are white and help ward off evil as spiritual guardians.

On the other hand, the yako or "field foxes", who are wild, naughty and even sometimes evil.

Some local traditions have other kitsune, such as the ninko, an invisible fox spirit that humans could only perceive when they were possessed by them, an act called kutsunetsuki. Another tradition classifies the kitsune according to their powers and has thirteen different classes.

Among the many abilities of the kitsune, there is also the appearance of fire or light in the mouth or in the tails (kitsune-bi, "fire fox"), the voluntary manifestation in the dreams of others, the ability to fly, the invisibility and the creation of illusions. Some legends speak of kitsune so powerful that it can bend time and space, drive people crazy or take fantastic forms. Other kitsune have characteristics similar to vampires and feed on the vital energy or spirit of the people