nine-tailed fox（kyubi no kitsune）

The nine-tailed fox is said to be a fox with nine tails.

Why does the nine-tailed fox have nine tails?

Wild foxes have a life expectancy of about 10 years, but foxes are said to acquire supernatural powers as they grow older and live longer. After living for 100 or 1,000 years, the fox’s tail splits off one by one, and eventually it splits into nine tails, becoming the nine-tailed fox.

Is the nine-tailed fox a good fox or a bad fox?

There are various theories, so I would like to introduce a representative one.

good story

In China, it is said that there are animals called “Zuiju” that appear in the world as omens of good things to come.

The nine-tailed fox is also considered to be one of them, and there is also a theory that it is a divine beast sent from heaven.

bad story

The nine-tailed fox is a demon fox that appears in Chinese folklore. The nine-tailed fox has long been feared as an ominous creature in China.

The story of the nine-tailed fox appears in many Chinese history books and novels. For example, in the Chinese history book Shiji, there is a story about a nine-tailed fox transforming into a beautiful woman named Daji during the Zhou dynasty, who misled the King of Zhou and inflicted violence on him. In addition, there is a story in the Chinese novel “Fengjin Enyi” that the nine-tailed fox was the same person as Daji, and tried to deceive King Zhou of the Yin dynasty and destroy Zhou.

Nine-tailed foxes have also been introduced to Japan, and are also known as Japanese yokai. For example, in the Japanese folktale “Tamamo-mae,” there is a story about a nine-tailed fox transforming into a beautiful woman named Tamamo-mae to mislead the Retired Emperor Toba and destroy Japan.

The nine-tailed fox is a monster that is feared all over the world, not only in China and Japan, but also in other Asian countries.

After the nine-tailed fox died, it turned into a giant stone. This stone is located in Nasu, Tochigi prefecture. But there was news that the last stone of 2022 was broken. Maybe the Nine-Tailed Fox has revived.

Nine-tailed fox tattoos represent wishes for happiness, longevity, eternity, and protection from evil.