Sato, Ryuzo (1934). "3" [Distinction between tanuki and mujina]. Tanuki-ko 狸考[ Thoughs in tanuki (Japanese racoon dog)] (in Japanese). Japan: 郷土研究社. p.15. doi: 10.11501/1076759.

They also have very high-pitched growls similar to cats, despite them being in the canine family. Are Mythical Tanukis Bad Or Evil? The term tanuki (タヌキ) refers to the Japanese raccoon dog, a subspecies of the Asian raccoon dog. In Japanese folklore, the Tanuki is considered a yōkai, a forest spirit with disproportionate attributes and magical powers. The species is predominantly monogamous. The breeding period for the species is synchronized between females and males and lasts between February and April. A litter (typically with 4–6 pups) is born after a gestation period of 9 weeks. The parents look after their pups at a den for around a month, and then for another month after the pups leave the den. It’s interesting to note that the Takuni is a real animal that can be found in Japan. Despite them being real, it hasn’t stopped the interesting stories about their supernatural abilities from surviving for a very long time. When Did The Legend Of Tanuki Start?The Japanese raccoon dog ( Nyctereutes viverrinus), [1] is a species of canid endemic to Japan. It is one of two species in the genus Nyctereutes, alongside the common raccoon dog ( N. procyonoides), [2] of which it was traditionally thought to be a subspecies ( Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus).

WAZA: World Association of Zoos and Aquariums". Waza.org. Archived from the original on 10 April 2015 . Retrieved 9 April 2015. Main article: Bake-danuki Taxidermy of a Japanese raccoon dog, wearing waraji on its feet: This tanuki is displayed in a Buddhist temple in Japan, in the area of the folktale " Bunbuku Chagama". Tanuki or Raccoon dog statue. Banna-ji. Ashikaga, Tochigi. Sato, Ryuzo (1934). "8" [Tanuki traits No.7: belly drumming]. Tanuki-ko 狸考[ Thoughs in tanuki (Japanese racoon dog)] (in Japanese). Japan: 郷土研究社. p.37. doi: 10.11501/1076759. This strange account, framed as fact in a reputable newspaper, pinpoints the moment when folklore and modernity spectacularly collided in the Japanese imagination. The thundering steam train, symbol of industry and progress, literally mowing down the magical tanuki, emblematic of the ancient oneiric worlds of the deep inaka (countryside) through which the new railroads were blazing. How, asks the reporter, could this sort of rural witchery even happen in the bright new days of Meiji Japan? I’ve tried to cover as much tanuki facts as possible, especially its role in Japanese culture. I may have left out some details and if you want to learn more, you can go through the source material I’ve listed below. Onmark Productions deserves a special mention for the amount of detailed information provided.

What is a Tanuki?

First made famous by Isao Takahata's anime movie Pompoko, the Tanuki is a somewhat intriguing character. But what's behind this curious animal? What are its magical powers and its legends? Lastly, what does the Tanuki represent within Japanese culture? a b c Gordenker, Alice (25 July 2008). "Tanuki genitals". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on 2022-03-16 . Retrieved 3 March 2013. Tanuki can produce a host of other illusions as well. They'll often buy things with money which later turns to leaves (after they're long gone of course). They can make people see entirely different landscapes, causing them to get lost even in familiar territory. They can produce will o' the wisp fire, like kitsune. They use this fire to prank people, naturally. Before artificial light, this was a good way to fool a farmer into thinking he was having a whole conversation with a fellow smoking a pipe in the dark. And they think it's a hoot to make fisherman's nets feel heavy with fish and watch as they pull up empty nets.