Most of the time, the yako target arrogant or lazy people, but they’ve been known to harass innocents as well! They ruin reputations, steal valuables, and even lure travelers into deadly traps. While zenko foxes can be mischievous, yako foxes can be downright destructive. Finally, they settle disputes between humans and bad foxes, usually taking the human’s side! They might also bring messages to rulers or become guardians of specific households, bringing their families wealth and happiness. Zenko often appear as priests, to bring wisdom to humans. The zenko are good foxes who serve Inari, the goddess of rice and prosperity. Still, they can be broadly split into two groups: the zenko and the yako. No two Kitsune are exactly alike, and all of them are complex characters! Their high intelligence and boundless creativity make them hard to predict.

In human form, Kitsunes usually wear their hoshi no tamas as amulets, but in fox form, they carry the magical balls in their mouths or fasten them to their tails. The ball contains his soul, and without it, he will grow powerless and die. He must keep his hoshi no tama, a glowing ball or iridescent gem, with him at all times. Some of them can even disappear!īut no matter what shape a Kitsune takes, there will always be one give-away. They’ve been known to appear as impossibly tall trees and second moons in the sky. Some of the oldest and most powerful Kitsune can take on other shapes as well. If you catch him off guard, you might catch a glimpse of his bottlebrush tail! Luckily, the fox’s disguise is rarely perfect. If they’re in a troublemaking mood, they can also pose as humans they’ve seen before: a prince who can command an army or an enemy who needs to be humiliated.

They tend to go for shapes that command maximum respect: an elegant young woman or a wise old priest. These magical foxes love to take human forms. When the Kitsune reaches his one hundredth birthday, he can begin shapeshifting, a trick that makes describing him very difficult. In his later years, his red fur might begin to turn gold, then, finally white. For example, every hundred years, a Kitsune grows a new tail. They must gain their magical looks-along with their magical powers-over time. Newborn Kitsunes could easily blend in with a litter of average foxes. But the Kitsune aren’t all fun and games-they can be incredibly wise, and incredibly dangerous, too! Characteristics Physical Description These legendary foxes have been delighting Japanese people for centuries, whether by celebrating a wedding with “ foxfire” lanterns or making the village jerk run through the streets naked and give all his money away. What’s magical, immortal, and incredibly adorable? The Kitsune.

Real 9 tailed fox