The term kitsune means fox, both “red fox” and “ice fox”. The two species of red fox are hondo kitsune (“main island fox”) from the main island of Honshû and the kita kitsune (“northern fox”) on the northern island of Hokkaidô. Both species also play an important role in Japanese mythology – as sacred and familiar animals of the deity Inari. Foxes, often beautiful women with supernatural powers and the ability to cast spells on people, appear in countless legends.
other animals
