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87-470: Inari was originally and remains primarily the kami of rice and agriculture, but merchants also worship Inari as the patron of business. Each of Fushimi Inari-taisha's roughly 10,000 torii were donated by a Japanese business, and approximately 800 of these are set in a row to form the Senbon Torii, creating the impression of a tunnel. The shrine is said to have ten thousand such gates in total that designate

174-407: A kuda-gitsune , osaki , yako , and hito-gitsune are also called kitsunetsuki . These families are said to have been able to use their fox to gain fortune, but marriage into such a family was considered forbidden as it would enlarge the family. They are also said to be able to bring about illness and curse the possessions, crops, and livestock of ones that they hate, and as

261-452: A Brahmin structure called Sao Ching Cha strongly resembles a torii . Functionally, however, it is very different as it is used as a swing . that was constructed in 1784 in front of the Devasathan shrine by King Rama I. During the reign of Rama II the swing ceremony was discontinued as the swing had become structurally damaged by lightning. Other theories claim torii may be related to

348-544: A "witch animal" (presumably due to its "bewitching") by one scholar, who also qualifies the supernatural foxes as being "goblin foxes" or "fox spirits". The kitsune exhibit the ability of bakeru or transforming its shape and appearance, and bakasu , capable of trickery or bewitching; these terms are related to the generic term bakemono meaning "spectre" or "goblin", and such capabilities were also ascribed to badgers (actually tanuki or raccoon dog ) and occasionally to cats (cf. bakeneko ). There are also legends of

435-456: A 12th-century tale describes a man using a fox's hoshi no tama to secure a favor: "Confound you!" snapped the fox. "Give me back my ball!" The man ignored its pleas till finally it said tearfully, "All right, you've got the ball, but you don't know how to keep it. It won't be any good to you. For me, it's a terrible loss. I tell you, if you don't give it back, I'll be your enemy forever. If you do give it back though, I'll stick to you like

522-473: A Shinto shrine ( sandō ) is almost always straddled by one or more torii , which are therefore the easiest way to distinguish a shrine from a Buddhist temple. If the sandō passes under multiple torii , the outer of them is called ichi no torii ( 一の鳥居 , first torii) . The following ones, closer to the shrine, are usually called, in order, ni no torii ( 二の鳥居 , second torii) and san no torii ( 三の鳥居 , third torii) . Other torii can be found farther into

609-449: A black upper lintel . Shrines of Inari , the kami of fertility and industry, typically have many torii because those who have been successful in business often donate torii in gratitude. Fushimi Inari-taisha in Kyoto has thousands of such torii , each bearing the donor's name. The function of a torii is to mark the entrance to a sacred space. For this reason, the road leading to

696-401: A certain age—usually 100 years, although some tales say 50. As a common prerequisite for the transformation, the fox must place reeds, a leaf, or a skull over its head. Common forms assumed by kitsune include beautiful women, young girls, elderly men, and less often young boys. These shapes are not limited by the fox's own age or gender, and a kitsune can duplicate the appearance of

783-468: A clinical standpoint, those possessed by a fox are thought to suffer from a mental illness or similar condition. The idea of kitsunetsuki seems to have become widespread in the fifteenth century, though it has already been attested during the Heian period. Kitsunetsuki ( 狐憑き, 狐付き ) , also written kitsune-tsuki , literally means 'the state of being possessed by a fox'. The victim is usually said to be

870-466: A common symbol of Inari and representations of sacred Inari foxes without them are rare. One belief is that when a kitsune changes shape, its hoshi no tama holds a portion of its magical power. Another tradition is that the pearl represents the kitsune's soul; the kitsune will die if separated from it for too long. Those who obtain the ball may be able to extract a promise from the kitsune to help them in exchange for its return. For example,

957-751: A current of thought within Shingon Buddhism . The famous torii rising from the water at Itsukushima is a ryōbu torii , and the shrine used to be also a Shingon Buddhist temple , so much so that it still has a pagoda . The hizen torii ( 肥前鳥居 ) is an unusual type of torii with a rounded kasagi and pillars that flare downwards. They are found only in Saga prefecture and the neighboring areas. Kitsune In Japanese folklore , kitsune ( 狐 , きつね , IPA: [kʲi̥t͡sɨne̞] ) are foxes that possess paranormal abilities that increase as they get older and wiser. According to folklore,

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1044-606: A fox bit off the end of a creeping vine plant held by the laborer (shrine construction worker), interpreted as an inauspicious omen foreshadowing the death of Empress Saimei the following year. Folktales from China tell of fox spirits called húli jīng ( Chinese : 狐狸精 ) also named as nine-tailed fox ( Chinese : 九尾狐 ) that may have up to nine tails. These fox spirits were adopted into Japanese culture through merchants as kyūbi no kitsune ( 九尾の狐 , lit.   ' nine-tailed fox ' ) . The earliest "fox wife" ( kitsune nyōbo ( 狐女房 ) ) tale type (concerning

1131-414: A fox's disguise merely by perceiving them. Kitsune can also be exposed while in human form by their fear and hatred of dogs, and some become so rattled by their presence that they revert to the form of a fox and flee. Other supernatural abilities commonly attributed to kitsune include possession, generating fire or lightning, willful manifestation in the dreams of others, flight, invisibility, and

1218-409: A great deal, alleging that not they, but the possessing foxes, are hungry. He goes on to note that, once freed from the possession, the victim would never again be able to eat tofu, azukimeshi (i.e. sekihan or "red bean rice"), or other foods favored by foxes. Attempting to rid someone of a fox spirit was done via an exorcism , often at an Inari shrine . If a priest was not available or if

1305-451: A greater number of tails indicates an older and more powerful Kitsune ; in fact, some folktales say that a fox will only grow additional tails after it has lived 100 years. (In the wild, the typical lifespan of a real fox is one to three years, although individuals may live up to ten years in captivity.) One, five, seven, and nine tails are the most common numbers in folktales. These kyūbi no kitsune ( 九尾の狐 , 'nine-tailed foxes') gain

1392-608: A kitsune attaches itself to a person or household, where they can cause all sorts of mischief. In one story from the 12th century, only the homeowner's threat to exterminate the foxes convinces them to behave. The kitsune patriarch appears in the man's dreams: My father lived here before me, sir, and by now I have many children and grandchildren. They get into a lot of mischief, I'm afraid, and I'm always after them to stop, but they never listen. And now, sir, you're understandably fed up with us. I gather that you're going to kill us all. But I just want you to know, sir, how sorry I am that this

1479-579: A link common also in other cultures, shamanic like the Japanese. Bird motifs from the Yayoi and Kofun periods associating birds with the dead have also been found in several archeological sites. This relationship between birds and death would also explain why, in spite of their name, no visible trace of birds remains in today's torii : birds were symbols of death, which in Shinto brings defilement ( kegare ). Finally,

1566-673: A long tradition as mighty warriors endowed with supernatural powers, sometimes use as their symbol a torii . The torii is also sometimes used as a symbol of Japan in non-religious contexts. For example, it is the symbol of the Marine Corps Security Force Regiment and the 187th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division and of other US forces in Japan. It is also used as a fixture at the entrance of some Japantown communities, such as Liberdade in São Paulo . The origins of

1653-471: A professor at the Tokyo University of Agriculture , foxes have come to be regarded as sacred by the Japanese because they are the natural enemies of rats that eat up rice or burrow into rice paddies. Because fox urine has a rat-repelling effect, Japanese people placed a stone with fox urine on a hokora of a Shinto shrine set up near a rice field. In this way, it is assumed that people in Japan acquired

1740-399: A protector god." The fox later saves his life by leading him past a band of armed robbers. Embedded in Japanese folklore as they are, kitsune appear in numerous Japanese works. Noh , kyogen , bunraku , and kabuki plays derived from folk tales feature them, as do contemporary works such as native animations, comic books and video games . Japanese metal idol band Babymetal refer to

1827-422: A religious background. Depictions of kitsune or people possessed by them may feature round white balls known as hoshi no tama ( ほしのたま , lit.   ' star balls ' ) . Tales describe these as glowing with kitsunebi . Some stories identify them as magical jewels or pearls. When not in human form or possessing a human, a kitsune keeps the ball in its mouth or carries it on its tail. Jewels are

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1914-514: A result of being considered taboo by the other families, it has led to societal problems. The great amount of faith given to foxes can be seen in how, as a result of the Inari belief where foxes were believed to be Inari no Kami or its servant, they were employed in practices of dakini-ten by mikkyō and shugendō practitioners and in the oracles of miko ; the customs related to kitsunetsuki can be seen as having developed in such

2001-480: A specific person . Kitsune are particularly renowned for impersonating beautiful women. Common belief in feudal Japan was that any woman encountered alone, especially at dusk or night, could be a kitsune . Kitsune-gao ('fox-faced') refers to human females who have a narrow face with close-set eyes, thin eyebrows, and high cheekbones. Traditionally, this facial structure is considered attractive, and some tales ascribe it to foxes in human form. Variants on

2088-671: A tie beam ( nuki ). In its simplest form, all four elements are rounded and the pillars have no inclination. When the nuki is rectangular in section, it is called Yasukuni torii , from Tokyo's Yasukuni Jinja . It is believed to be the oldest torii style. 伊勢鳥居 ( Ise torii ) (see illustration above) are gates found only at the Inner Shrine and Outer Shrine at Ise Shrine in Mie Prefecture . For this reason, they are also called Jingū torii , from Jingū, Ise Grand Shrine's official Japanese name. There are two variants. The most common

2175-454: A tie-beam ( nuki ( 貫 ) ). The pillars may have a slight inward inclination called uchikorobi ( 内転び ) or just korobi ( 転び ) . Its parts are always straight. Structurally, the simplest is the shime torii or chūren torii ( 注連鳥居 ) (see illustration below). Probably one of the oldest types of torii, it consists of two posts with a sacred rope called shimenawa tied between them. All other torii can be divided in two families,

2262-569: A tube. The oldest relationship between the Japanese people and the fox dates back to the Jomon period necklace made by piercing the canine teeth and jawbone of the fox. In the Nihon Shoki (or Nihongi , compiled 720), the fox is mentioned twice, as omens. In the year 657 a byakko or "white fox" was reported to have been witnessed in Iwami Province , possibly a sign of good omen. And in 659,

2349-503: A type of sushi named for Inari Ōkami that consists of rice-filled pouches of fried tofu. There is speculation among folklorists as to whether another Shinto fox deity existed in the past. Foxes have long been worshipped as kami . Actually, the favorite food of the fox, used as bait for trapping or luring them, is purported to be the fried mouse/rat, according to the scenario in the kyōgen -play Tsurigitsune  [ ja ] and other works. A scholar has surmised that whether

2436-545: A wife whose identity as fox is revealed after being frightened by the house pet dog ) occurs in Nihon Ryōiki , an anthology of Buddhist tales compiled around 822. The plotline involves a man who takes a wife, whose identity is later revealed to be a fox pretending to be a woman (cf. § Nihon Ryōiki below). The tale bears close resemblance to the Tang dynasty Chinese story Renshi zhuan ("The Story of Lady Ren", c. 800), and

2523-518: A wish come true or in gratitude for a wish that came true, with successive gates being added up to the present day by donors out of gratitude. Along the main path there are around 800 torii gates. The shrine is just outside Inari Station on the Nara Line of the West Japan Railway Company (JR), a five-minute ride from Kyoto Station . It is a short walk from Fushimi-Inari Station on

2610-420: A young woman, whom the fox enters beneath her fingernails or through her breasts. In some cases, the victims' facial expressions are said to change in such a way that they resemble those of a fox. Japanese tradition holds that fox possession can cause illiterate victims to temporarily gain the ability to read. Though foxes in folklore can possess a person of their own will, kitsunetsuki is often attributed to

2697-524: Is Nonomiya Shrine in Kyoto. The shrine now however uses a torii made of synthetic material which simulates the look of wood. The shiromaruta torii ( 白丸太鳥居 ) or shiroki torii ( 白木鳥居 ) is a shinmei torii made with logs from which bark has been removed. This type of torii is present at the tombs of all Emperors of Japan. The mihashira torii or Mitsubashira Torii ( 三柱鳥居 , Three-pillar Torii , also 三角鳥居 sankaku torii ) (see illustration above)

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2784-518: Is a traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine , where it symbolically marks the transition from the mundane to the sacred, and a spot where kami are welcomed and thought to travel through. The presence of a torii at the entrance is usually the simplest way to identify Shinto shrines, and a small torii icon represents them on Japanese road maps and on Google Maps . The first appearance of torii gates in Japan can be reliably pinpointed to at least

2871-786: Is a type of torii which appears to be formed from three individual torii (see gallery). It is thought by some to have been built by early Japanese Christians to represent the Holy Trinity . The Myōjin torii and its variants are characterized by curved lintels. The myōjin torii ( 明神鳥居 ) , by far the most common torii style, are characterized by curved upper lintels ( kasagi and shimaki ). Both curve slightly upwards. Kusabi are present. A myōjin torii can be made of wood, stone, concrete or other materials and be vermilion or unpainted. The Nakayama torii ( 中山鳥居 ) style, which takes its name from Nakayama Jinja in Okayama Prefecture ,

2958-441: Is basically a myōjin torii , but the nuki does not protrude from the pillars and the curve made by the two top lintels is more accentuated than usual. The torii at Nakayama Shrine that gives the style its name is 9 m tall and was erected in 1791. The daiwa or Inari torii ( 大輪鳥居・稲荷鳥居 ) (see illustration above) is a myōjin torii with two rings called daiwa at the top of the two pillars. The name "Inari torii" comes from

3045-402: Is extremely similar to a shinmei torii , its pillars however have a slight inward inclination and its nuki is kept in place by wedges ( kusabi ). The kasagi is pentagonal in section (see illustration in the gallery below). The ends of the kasagi are slightly thicker, giving the impression of an upward slant. All these torii were built after the 14th century. The second type is similar to

3132-528: Is held in place by kusabi driven in on both sides. This torii was the first to be painted vermilion and to adopt a shimaki at Kasuga Taisha , the shrine from which it takes its name. Almost identical to a kasuga torii (see illustration above), but with the two upper lintels at a slant, the Hachiman torii ( 八幡鳥居 ) first appeared during the Heian period . The name comes from the fact that this type of torii

3219-493: Is no general agreement: Kitsu is now archaic; in modern Japanese, a fox's cry is transcribed as kon kon or gon gon . Kitsune are believed to possess superior intelligence, long life, and magical powers. They are a type of yōkai . The word kitsune is sometimes translated as ' fox spirit ', which is actually a broader folkloric category. This does not mean that kitsune are ghosts , nor that they are fundamentally different from regular foxes. Because

3306-496: Is often used at Hachiman shrines. The kashima torii ( 鹿島鳥居 ) (see illustration above) is a shinmei torii without korobi , with kusabi and a protruding nuki. It takes its name from Kashima Shrine in Ibaraki Prefecture . The kuroki torii ( 黒木鳥居 ) is a shinmei torii built with unbarked wood. Because this type of torii requires replacement at three years intervals, it is becoming rare. The most notorious example

3393-436: Is our last night of life. Won't you pardon us, one more time? If we ever make trouble again, then of course you must act as you think best. But the young ones, sir – I'm sure they'll understand when I explain to them why you're so upset. We'll do everything we can to protect you from now on, if only you'll forgive us, and we'll be sure to let you know when anything good is going to happen! Other kitsune use their magic for

3480-642: Is the counter for kami . In Japan birds have also long had a connection with the dead, this may mean it was born in connection with some prehistorical funerary rite. Ancient Japanese texts like the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki for example mention how Yamato Takeru after his death became a white bird and in that form chose a place for his own burial. For this reason, his mausoleum was then called shiratori misasagi ( 白鳥陵 , white bird grave) . Many later texts also show some relationship between dead souls and white birds,

3567-458: Is within walking distance of the Nintendo Kyoto campus. Foxes ( kitsune ), regarded as the messengers, are often found in Inari shrines. One attribute is a key (for the rice granary) in their mouths. 34°58′02″N 135°46′22″E  /  34.96722°N 135.77278°E  / 34.96722; 135.77278 Torii A torii ( Japanese : 鳥居 , [to.ɾi.i] )

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3654-404: The pailou of China. These structures however can assume a great variety of forms, only some of which actually somewhat resemble a torii . The same goes for Korea's "hongsal-mun". Unlike its Chinese counterpart, the hongsal-mun does not vary greatly in design and is always painted red, with "arrowsticks" located on the top of the structure (hence the name). Various tentative etymologies of

3741-470: The torana gates in the monastery of Sanchi in central India. According to this theory, the torana was adopted by Shingon Buddhism founder Kūkai , who used it to demarcate the sacred space used for the homa ceremony. The hypothesis arose in the 19th and 20th centuries due to similarities in structure and name between the two gates. Linguistic and historical objections have now emerged, but no conclusion has yet been reached. In Bangkok , Thailand,

3828-476: The Inariyama hill in southwestern Kyoto, but the shrine was re-located in 816 on the request of the monk Kūkai . The main shrine structure was built in 1499. At the bottom of the hill are the main gate ( 楼門 , rōmon , "tower gate") and the main shrine ( 御本殿 , go-honden ) . Behind them, in the middle of the mountain, the inner shrine ( 奥宮 , okumiya ) is reachable by a path lined with thousands of torii . On

3915-581: The Main Line of the Keihan Electric Railway . The shrine is open 24 hours with the approach to the shrine and the Honden ( 本殿 , main hall ) itself illuminated all night. There is no entrance fee. In the approach to the shrine are a number of sweet shops selling tsujiura senbei ( 辻占煎餅 ) , a form of fortune cookie dating at least to the 19th century, and which are believed by some to be

4002-540: The historical form of the word (when rendered into a Latin-alphabet transliteration) as ki 1 tune . Following several diachronic phonological changes, this soon became kitsune . As aforementioned, the fox-wife narrative in Nihon ryōiki gives the folk etymology kitsu-ne means 'come and sleep', while in a double-entendre, the phrase can also be parsed differently as ki-tsune to mean 'always comes'. Many etymological suggestions have been made, though there

4089-484: The kitsune being used as familiars to do the biddings of their masters, called kitsune-mochi or "fox-possessors". The yamabushi or lay monks training in the wild have the reputation of using kiko ( 気狐 , lit. "air/ chi fox") . In some cases, the fox or fox-spirit summoned is called the osaki . The familiar may also be known as the kuda-gitsune ( 管狐 , lit. "tube fox, pipe fox") because they were believed to be so small, or become so small as to fit inside

4176-488: The kitsune -foxes (or perhaps the "fox spirits") can bewitch people, just like the tanuki . They have the ability to shapeshift into human or other forms, and to trick or fool human beings. While some folktales speak of kitsune employing this ability to trick others, as foxes in folklore often do, other stories portray them as faithful guardians, friends, and lovers. Foxes and humans lived close together in ancient Japan ; this companionship gave rise to legends about

4263-596: The miwa torii ( 三輪鳥居 ) is composed of three myōjin torii without inclination of the pillars. It can be found with or without doors. The most famous one is at Ōmiwa Shrine, in Nara, from which it takes its name. Also called yotsuashi torii ( 四脚鳥居 , four-legged torii ) , gongen torii ( 権現鳥居 ) or chigobashira torii ( 稚児柱鳥居 ) , the ryōbu torii ( 両部鳥居 ) is a daiwa torii whose pillars are reinforced on both sides by square posts (see illustration above). The name derives from its long association with Ryōbu Shintō,

4350-402: The shinmei family ( 神明系 ) and the myōjin family ( 明神系 ) . Torii of the first have only straight parts, the second have both straight and curved parts. The shinmei torii and its variants are characterized by straight upper lintels. The shinmei torii ( 神明鳥居 ) , which gives the name to the family, is constituted solely by a lintel ( kasagi ) and two pillars ( hashira ) united by

4437-627: The torii are unknown and there are several different theories on the subject, none of which has gained universal acceptance. Because the use of symbolic gates is widespread in Asia—such structures can be found for example in India , China , Thailand , Korea , and within Nicobarese and Shompen villages—many historians believe they may be an imported tradition. They may, for example, have originated in India from

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4524-567: The Indian divinity Sarasvati , who unites elements of both Shinto and Buddhism . For this reason halls dedicated to her can be found at both temples and shrines, and in either case in front of the hall stands a torii . The goddess herself is sometimes portrayed with a torii on her head. Finally, until the Meiji period (1868–1912) torii were routinely adorned with plaques carrying Buddhist sutras . Yamabushi , Japanese mountain ascetic hermits with

4611-459: The abilities to see and hear anything happening anywhere in the world. Other tales credit them with infinite wisdom ( omniscience ). After reaching 1,000 years of age and gaining its ninth tail, a kitsune turns a white or golden color, becoming a tenko ( 天狐 , 'heavenly/celestial fox' ) , the most powerful form of the kitsune , and then ascends to the heavens. A kitsune may take on human form , an ability learned when it reaches

4698-503: The benefit of their companion or hosts as long as the humans treat them with respect. As yōkai , however, kitsune do not share human morality, and a kitsune who has adopted a house in this manner may, for example, bring its host money or items that it has stolen from the neighbors. Accordingly, common households thought to harbor kitsune are treated with suspicion. Oddly, samurai families were often reputed to share similar arrangements with kitsune, but these foxes were considered zenko and

4785-564: The creation of illusions so elaborate as to be almost indistinguishable from reality. Some tales speak of kitsune with even greater powers, able to bend time and space, drive people mad, or take fantastic shapes such as an incredibly tall tree or a second moon in the sky. Other kitsune have characteristics reminiscent of vampires or succubi , and feed on the life or spirit of human beings, generally through sexual contact. Stories of fox possession ( kitsunetsuki ) can be found in all lands of Japan, as part of its folk religion . From

4872-424: The creatures. Kitsune have become closely associated with Inari , a Shinto kami or spirit, and serve as its messengers. This role has reinforced the fox's supernatural significance. The more tails a kitsune has, up to nine, the older, wiser, and more powerful it is. Because of their potential power and influence, some people make sacrifices to them as to a deity. The kitsune has been labeled as

4959-435: The crueler ones abuse poor tradesmen and farmers or devout Buddhist monks. Their victims are usually men; women are possessed instead. For example, kitsune are thought to employ their kitsunebi to lead travelers astray in the manner of a will-o'-the-wisp . Another tactic is for the kitsune to confuse its target with illusions or visions. Other common goals of trickster kitsune include seduction, theft of food, humiliation of

5046-455: The culture of respecting kitsune as messengers of Inari Okami . The full etymology of kitsune is unknown. The oldest known usage of the word is in the text Shin'yaku Kegonkyō Ongi Shiki , dating to 794. Other old sources include the aforementioned story in the Nihon ryōiki (810–824) and Wamyō Ruijushō (c. 934). These old sources are written in Man'yōgana , which clearly identifies

5133-406: The enigmatic literal meaning of the torii's name ("bird perch"). Poles believed to have supported wooden bird figures very similar to the sotdae have been found together with wooden birds, and are believed by some historians to have somehow evolved into today's torii . Intriguingly, in both Korea and Japan single poles represent deities ( kami in the case of Japan) and hashira ( 柱 , pole)

5220-561: The entrance of villages together with totem poles called jangseung , they are talismans which ward off evil spirits and bring the villagers good luck. "Bird perches" similar in form and function to the sotdae exist also in other shamanistic cultures in China, Mongolia and Siberia . Although they do not look like torii and serve a different function, these "bird perches" show how birds in several Asian cultures are believed to have magic or spiritual properties, and may therefore help explain

5307-411: The entrance to the holy domain of kami and protect it against wicked forces. Owing to the popularity of Inari's division and re-enshrinement , this shrine is said to have as many as 32,000 sub-shrines (分社 bunsha ) throughout Japan. The shrine gained imperial patronage during the early Heian period . In 965, Emperor Murakami decreed that messengers carry written accounts of important events to

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5394-407: The exorcism failed, alleged victims of kitsunetsuki might be badly burned or beaten in hopes of driving out the fox spirits. The whole family of someone thought to be possessed might be ostracized by their community. In Japan, kitsunetsuki was described as a disease as early as the Heian period and remained a common diagnosis for mental illness until the early 20th century. Possession

5481-588: The fact that vermilion daiwa torii tend to be common at Inari shrines , but even at the famous Fushimi Inari Shrine not all torii are in this style. This style first appeared during the late Heian period. The sannō torii ( 山王鳥居 ) (see photo below) is myōjin torii with a gable over the two top lintels. The best example of this style is found at Hiyoshi Shrine near Lake Biwa. Also called sankō torii ( 三光鳥居 , three light torii ) , mitsutorii ( 三鳥居 , triple torii ) or komochi torii ( 子持ち鳥居 , torii with children ) (see illustration above),

5568-636: The famous Fushimi Inari shrine in Kyoto , feature such statues, sometimes large numbers of them. Kitsune are connected to the Buddhist religion through the Dakiniten , goddesses conflated with Inari's female aspect. Dakiniten is depicted as a female boddhisattva wielding a sword and riding a flying white fox. Kitsune are often presented as tricksters , with motives that vary from mischief to malevolence. Stories tell of kitsune playing tricks on overly proud samurai , greedy merchants, and boastful commoners, while

5655-571: The first, but has also a secondary, rectangular lintel ( shimaki ) under the pentagonal kasagi . This and the shinmei torii style started becoming more popular during the early 20th century at the time of State Shinto because they were considered the oldest and most prestigious. The Kasuga torii ( 春日鳥居 ) is a myōjin torii (see illustration above) with straight top lintels. The style takes its name from Kasuga-taisha 's ichi-no-torii ( 一の鳥居 ) , or main torii . The pillars have an inclination and are slightly tapered. The nuki protrudes and

5742-579: The food be fried rodent or fried bean curd, the association with fox can be traced to the document Inari ichiryū daiji ( 稲荷一流大事 ) which gives a list of votive offerings to be made to the Dakini-ten (associated with foxes), since the list includes something called aburamono ("oil stuff") Inari's kitsune are white, a color of a good omen . They possess the power to ward off evil, and they sometimes serve as guardian spirits. In addition to protecting Inari shrines, they are petitioned to intervene on behalf of

5829-520: The guardian kami of Japan. These heihaku were initially presented to 16 shrines, including the Inari Shrine. From 1871 through 1946, Fushimi Inari-taisha was officially designated one of the Kanpei-taisha ( 官幣大社 ) , meaning that it stood in the first rank of government supported shrines. Unlike most Shinto shrines, Fushimi Inari-taisha, in keeping with typical Inari shrines, has an open view of

5916-462: The kitsune myth in their lyrics and include the use of fox masks, hand signs, and animation interludes during live shows. Western authors of fiction have also made use of the kitsune legends although not in extensive detail. Kitsune are associated with Inari, the Shinto deity of rice. This association has reinforced the fox's supernatural significance. Originally, kitsune were Inari's messengers, but

6003-399: The line between the two is now blurred so that Inari Ōkami may be depicted as a fox. Likewise, entire shrines are dedicated to kitsune, where devotees can leave offerings . Fox spirits are said to be particularly fond of a fried slice of tofu called aburage or abura-age , which is accordingly found in the noodle-based dishes kitsune udon and kitsune soba . Similarly, Inari-zushi is

6090-405: The locals and particularly to aid against troublesome nogitsune , those spirit foxes who do not serve Inari. Black foxes and nine-tailed foxes are likewise considered good omens. According to beliefs derived from fusui ( feng shui ), the fox's power over evil is such that a mere statue of a fox can dispel the evil kimon , or energy, that flows from the northeast. Many Inari shrines, such as

6177-544: The main object of worship (a mirror). A drawing in Kiyoshi Nozaki's Kitsune: Japan's Fox of Mystery, Romance and Humor in 1786 depicting the shrine says that its two-story entry gate was built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi . The shrine draws several million worshipers over the Japanese New Year , 2.69 million for 3 days in 2006 reported by the police, the most in western Japan. The earliest structures were built in 711 on

6264-454: The malign intents of hereditary fox employers . Folklorist Lafcadio Hearn describes the condition in Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan : Strange is the madness of those into whom demon foxes enter. Sometimes they run naked shouting through the streets. Sometimes they lie down and froth at the mouth, and yelp as a fox yelps. And on some part of the body of the possessed a moving lump appears under

6351-675: The mid- Heian period ; they are mentioned in a text written in 922. The oldest existing stone torii was built in the 12th century and belongs to a Hachiman shrine in Yamagata Prefecture . The oldest existing wooden torii is a ryōbu torii (see description below) at Kubō Hachiman Shrine in Yamanashi Prefecture built in 1535. Torii gates were traditionally made from wood or stone, but today they can be also made of reinforced concrete, stainless steel or other materials. They are usually either unpainted or painted vermilion with

6438-416: The oldest state-built Buddhist temple in the country (and world), has a torii straddling one of its entrances. (The original wooden torii burned in 1294 and was then replaced by one in stone.) Many Buddhist temples include one or more Shinto shrines dedicated to their tutelary kami (" Chinjusha "), and in that case a torii marks the shrine's entrance. Benzaiten is a syncretic goddess derived from

6525-624: The origin of the American fortune cookie. A part of the Noh play Kokaji takes place in Fushimi Inari-taisha . The shrine inspired Nintendo game designer, Shigeru Miyamoto , to create the series Star Fox . In the series, players control Fox McCloud and fly starfighters through colorful rings in aerial combat . Miyamoto attributed these inspirations to the Fushimi Inari Shrine, which

6612-652: The possibility has been suggested that this is a remake of the Chinese version. A composite fashioned from the confluence of Tang dynasty wonder tales ( chuanqi genre, as exemplified by the Renshi zhuan ) and earlier wonder tales ( Zhiguai genre) has also been proposed. The trope of the fox as femme fatale in Japanese literature (cf. Tamamo no Mae ) also originates from China. Ōe no Masafusa (d. 1111) in Kobiki (or Kobi no ki ( 狐眉記 , A record of fox spirits ) ) introduced

6699-438: The possibility that torii are a Japanese invention cannot be discounted. The first torii could have evolved already with their present function through the following sequence of events: The shinmei torii , whose structure agrees with the historians' reconstruction, consists of just four unbarked and unpainted logs: two vertical pillars ( hashira ( 柱 ) ) topped by a horizontal lintel ( kasagi ( 笠木 ) ) and kept together by

6786-491: The prideful, or vengeance for a perceived slight. A traditional game called kitsune-ken ('fox-fist') references the kitsune's powers over human beings. The game is similar to rock paper scissors , but the three hand positions signify a fox, a hunter, and a village headman. The headman beats the hunter, whom he outranks; the hunter beats the fox, whom he shoots; the fox beats the headman, whom he bewitches. Kitsune keep their promises and strive to repay any favor. Occasionally

6873-529: The shrine to represent increasing levels of holiness as one nears the inner sanctuary ( honden ), core of the shrine. Also, because of the strong relationship between Shinto shrines and the Japanese Imperial family , a torii stands also in front of the tomb of each Emperor. In the past torii must have been used also at the entrance of Buddhist temples. Even today, as prominent a temple as Osaka 's Shitennō-ji , founded in 593 by Shōtoku Taishi and

6960-451: The skin, which seems to have a life of its own. Prick it with a needle, and it glides instantly to another place. By no grasp can it be so tightly compressed by a strong hand that it will not slip from under the fingers. Possessed folk are also said to speak and write languages of which they were totally ignorant prior to possession. They eat only what foxes are believed to like – tofu , aburagé , azukimeshi , etc. – and they eat

7047-578: The story that the queen-consort Daji (Japanese pronunciation: Dakki ) was really a nine-tailed fox that led to the destruction of the Yin/ Shang dynasty , having seduced its last monarch, King Zhou (Japanese: Chū-ō ). Smyers (1999) notes that the idea of the fox as seductress and the connection of the fox myths to Buddhism were introduced into Japanese folklore through similar Chinese stories, but she maintains that some fox stories contain elements unique to Japan. According to Hiroshi Moriyama,

7134-467: The term kitsunetsuki refers to a culture-bound syndrome unique to Japanese culture . Those who suffer from the condition believe they are possessed by a fox. Symptoms include cravings for rice or sweet adzuki beans, listlessness, restlessness, and aversion to eye contact. This sense of kitsunetsuki is similar to but distinct from clinical lycanthropy . There are families that tell of protective fox spirits, and in certain regions, possession by

7221-452: The theme have the kitsune retain other foxy traits, such as a coating of fine hair, a fox-shaped shadow, or a reflection that shows its true form. In some stories, kitsune retain—and have difficulty hiding—their tails when they take human form; looking for the tail, perhaps when the fox gets drunk or careless, is a common method of discerning the creature's true nature. A particularly devout individual may even be able to see through

7308-467: The way to the top of the mountain are tens of thousands of rock altars (otsuka お塚) for private worship. These rock altars are personalised Inari that have been set up there by citizens. Most of them have individual names for Inari engraved on them. The highlight of the shrine is the rows of torii gates, known as Senbon Torii. The custom to donate a torii began spreading from the Edo period (1603–1868) to have

7395-408: The word spirit is used to reflect a state of knowledge or enlightenment, all long-lived foxes were believed to gain supernatural abilities. There are two common classifications of kitsune : Local traditions add further types. For example, a ninko is an invisible fox spirit that human beings can only perceive when it possesses them. Kitsune have as many as nine tails. Generally,

7482-524: The word torii exist. According to one of them, the name derives from the term tōri-iru ( 通り入る , pass through and enter) . Another hypothesis takes the name literally: the gate would originally have been some kind of bird perch. This is based on the religious use of bird perches in Asia, such as the Korean sotdae (솟대), which are poles with one or more wooden birds resting on their top. Commonly found in groups at

7569-458: Was the explanation for the abnormal behavior displayed by the afflicted individuals. In the late 19th century, Shunichi Shimamura noted that physical diseases that caused fever were often considered kitsunetsuki . The superstition has lost favor, but stories of fox possession still occur, such as allegations that members of the Aum Shinrikyo cult had been possessed. In modern psychiatry ,

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