/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>7445676

Well... that'd be more far East Asian culture in general then only Japanese. The kitsune, kumiho and huli jing form a group of mythical foxes distinct from Western counterparts. Specifically, and of interest to /jp/, they have the ability to grow exceptionally old, wield magic and to assume human form.
As the story usually goes, a man down on his luck saves a wild fox, either from larger predators or from a hunter. Later a beautiful woman befriends him, they start a family (in the Chinese version, she usually helps him start a business instead) and she proves to be a perfect wife and mother. Usually many years later, she is caught in some compromising position and revealed to be a fox in human disguise (usually someone catches sight of her tail), after which she is usually forced to leave her family - which is a lot better than the Chinese version, in which she is usually torn apart by dogs.

Then there's the less flattering version of the fox spirit as a seductress and schemer, such as Tamamo no Mae who nearly brought down the imperial court, or the white fox of Suwa who brought an end to the Takeda clan... according to legend.

Basically, when in doubt, it's always a fox.