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Yao no Kitsune

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternate Names: Eight-Tailed Fox
Category: Fox

The Myth

During the reign of Tokugawa Iemitsu, the third shogun of the Edo shogunate, it is said that he once fell gravely ill and was confined to his bed. As his condition worsened, those around him feared the worst.

One night, while he slept, Iemitsu had a vivid dream. In it, a fox with eight tails appeared before him. The fox came from the direction of Nikkō Tōshōgū Shrine and spoke clearly, telling him, “You will soon recover.”

When Iemitsu awoke, his illness began to ease just as the fox had promised. His strength returned, and before long he was restored to health. Believing the vision to be a sign of divine protection, he ordered that the fox from his dream be painted so that its image would be preserved.

The painting was later said to have been created by the shogunate’s official artist, and the story of the dream was remembered as proof that the fox had appeared as a messenger of higher powers.

Thus the Eight-Tailed Fox was remembered not as a trickster or deceiver, but as a spirit of omen and reassurance — a fox who came in a dream from a sacred shrine to promise recovery, and whose appearance was taken as a sign of unseen guardians watching over the ruler of the land.

Sources

Tyz-Yokai Blog. (n.d.). Yao no Kitsune. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1040893326.html.

Osangitsune

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternate Names: Three-Tailed Fox of Koetao Pass
Category: Fox

The Myth

Near Koetao Pass in Yuki Town there was said to live a wise fox with three tails. The pass lay close to a cremation ground and was quiet at night, and people whispered that anyone carrying food there might be tricked by the fox. In time it became known simply as the Three-Tailed Fox of the pass.

One evening a man named Zen-san, who lived alone in Mugitani Village, went to town to buy supplies for a memorial service. By the time he finished his shopping, dusk had fallen, and he hurried home over the pass.

On the road he met a young woman who said she too was crossing the mountain to visit relatives. Glad for company, Zen-san walked behind her along the dark path. As they went, he became strangely fascinated by the way she moved. He tried to draw closer, but no matter how he reached out, he could not touch her. When he tried to embrace her, his hands met only empty air.

The woman glanced back and slipped into the bushes with a teasing motion, and Zen-san chased after her. All night he wandered, pursuing her deeper into the mountains, unable to catch her or understand where she went.

At dawn, the voices of villagers searching for him finally brought him back to his senses. He found himself standing atop a rock on Mount Kamatakiyama, far from the path he had followed. The fried tofu he had bought the night before was gone from his bundle.

Only then did he understand. The woman he had followed was the fox of Koetao Pass, and the swaying shapes at her waist had not been folds of cloth, but three tails moving in the darkness.

From that time on, Zen-san’s tale was told as proof that the Three-Tailed Fox still haunted the pass, ready to lead travelers astray with a smile and vanish before dawn.

Sources

Tyz-Yokai Blog. (n.d.). Osangitsune. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1039219549.html.

Otonjoro

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternate Names: Otonjoro Fox
Category: Fox

The Myth

In the hills around Tachimi Pass there was said to live a fox spirit known as Otonjoro. People believed she earned this name because she often took the form of a woman called Otomi, who appeared like a wandering prostitute along the road.

Travelers who met her rarely realized at first that she was no human. She spoke gently and moved with ease among people, yet her purpose was often to deceive. Otonjoro was known for clever tricks and strange dealings, and even when she was caught and bound, she was said to slip free and vanish without a trace.

One of her favorite foods was roasted mice. Stories tell that if these were placed out, she would attract customers by transforming fallen leaves into coins and using them as payment. Those who received the coins would test them by tearing them in half. If they did not tear, they were taken as real, and the exchange was accepted.

It was also said that Otonjoro was married to another fox spirit, Keizōbō, who served the lord of Ikeda as a courier, running messages swiftly across the land.

Thus Otonjoro was remembered as a fox who walked the mountain pass in human form — a spirit of disguise and mischief, trading with leaves, slipping from ropes, and leaving behind only stories of her laughter on the road.

Sources

Tyz-Yokai Blog. (n.d.). Otonjoro. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1010654407.html.

Yako

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternate Names: Nogitsune, Field Fox
Category: Fox

The Myth

In the regions of Kyūshū, people speak of a fox spirit called the Yako, a small and elusive being that lives among the fields and hills.

Unlike the grand fox spirits of old tales, the Yako is said to be tiny, only a little larger than a mouse and smaller than a cat. It may be black or white, and some say it cannot be seen at all. Though small, it rarely travels alone. Stories tell that when a Yako moves, many others follow it, and people speak of a “thousand-fox company” traveling together unseen.

The Yako is feared most for its power to possess humans. When it slips into a person’s body, illness and strange behavior follow, and this condition is called yako-tsuki. It is said the spirit may hide beneath a person’s arm or enter through a weakness in the body, bringing sickness and weakness in its wake.

Families in some places are believed to keep Yako spirits as familiars. Such households pass the fox down through generations, and their descendants may become possessed as well. These spirits can be sent against enemies, causing misfortune or illness to those the family resents. Yet keeping a Yako is dangerous. If a household cannot sustain it, the fox may instead possess their livestock, bringing trouble to the family itself.

Because of this, people once took precautions. Some avoided letting wounds or scars be touched by unseen spirits, and others scattered ashes or kept protective objects nearby to prevent the fox from entering their homes.

Thus the Yako is remembered as a hidden fox of the countryside — small, invisible, and easily overlooked, yet capable of bringing illness, wealth, or ruin to any household it chooses to follow.

Sources

yokai.com. (n.d.). Yako. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://yokai.com/youko/.

Kudagitsune

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternate Names: Izuna
Category: Fox

The Myth

In the mountains of central Japan there are said to live tiny fox spirits known as Kudagitsune, or Pipe Foxes. No larger than a rat, they are thin and quick, easily hidden in sleeves, pockets, or even carried inside bamboo tubes, from which they take their name.

In the wild they live quietly like small animals, keeping to forests and hills and rarely showing themselves to people. But sometimes they are captured or tamed by sorcerers and fortune tellers. Once brought into a household, they become loyal familiars, serving not just one master but an entire family.

Such families gain unusual powers. They can divine the future, uncover hidden matters, and send their fox spirits out to trouble enemies. The Kudagitsune may bring sickness, misfortune, or unrest to those their owners wish to harm. Because of this, households known to keep these spirits are often feared or avoided by their neighbors.

It is said that families with Kudagitsune can easily obtain wealth and goods, as the spirits help them gather what they desire. Yet this blessing carries danger. The foxes multiply quickly, and a household may soon be overrun by dozens of them. If too many gather, they consume the family’s stores and bring ruin. Yet trying to drive them away or give them to others is risky, for the spirits do not always leave peacefully.

Thus the Kudagitsune are remembered as small but powerful foxes of the mountains — spirits easily hidden, easily summoned, and difficult to control once they have made a home among humans.

Sources

yokai.com. (n.d.). Kudagitsune. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://yokai.com/kudagitsune/?srsltid=AfmBOoqZZZy49yfR6b2t7RCSgU5OdiIb0bLLwmCsJyCVlgHgwzj_CC5m.

Aguara

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Tradition / Region: Guarani Mythology, Bolivian Mythology
Alternate Names: Aguara-tunpa
Category: Fox

The Myth

Among the Ava Guaraní and Chané peoples there is a fox spirit known as Aguara, often called Aguara-tunpa, the Sacred Fox.

Aguara moves freely between the worlds of animals, spirits, and humans. Clever and restless, he is known for his tricks, sometimes helpful and sometimes harmful. He deceives people, steals what he wants, and often appears in human form, fathering children with women before slipping away again.

Yet his cunning is not always selfish. In some stories, Aguara brings useful things into the world. He is said to have stolen algarroba seeds from the viscacha and given them to humanity so they could grow and eat them. In another tale he captured Vulture and demanded rubber as ransom, and from this act rubber came into human hands.

Aguara’s rival is Tatu-tunpa, the sacred armadillo. The two clash repeatedly in story after story, their contests filled with tricks, ambushes, and revenge. In the end, Aguara is said to overcome his rival, killing him and proving once again that cunning can defeat strength.

People also say Aguara left his mark in the sky. The constellation of Scorpius is linked to him, and the bend of the scorpion’s tail is remembered as the curve of his farming enclosure, set among the stars.

Thus Aguara is remembered as a fox of many faces — trickster, bringer of gifts, rival of spirits, and wanderer between earth and sky.

Sources

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Aguara. In Wikipedia. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aguara.

Garmina Witches

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Tradition / Region: Swiss Mythology
Alternate Names: Witches of Oute Garmina
Category: Sheep

The Myth

On the mountain path that runs from Vättis to Untervatz, across the Owaggis and Salatz Alps, there was once said to be a lonely place called Oute Garmina. There, long ago, three witches lived together.

A young hunter from Vättis often roamed the Calanda mountains and passed that way on his hunts. Several times he encountered the sisters, yet they could not harm him. He was said to wear “clean shoes,” and because of this, their magic failed against him.

Unable to touch him directly, the witches tried another trick. They transformed themselves into chamois and appeared on the slopes, hoping to lure him into danger. One day, as he crossed the Alp Gwaggis, he saw three chamois grazing peacefully on a grassy ledge. Thinking them ordinary game, he raised his gun and fired. Yet every shot missed.

Suddenly the animals sprang toward him. Sensing danger, he threw himself flat to the ground, and the attack failed. Later, an old man from Vatz told him the truth: the chamois were not beasts, but the witches of Garmina. He instructed the hunter how to defeat them.

The hunter followed his advice. He mixed Trinity-blessed salt into his powder and loaded a consecrated silver bullet. The next time he saw the chamois, he fired again. This time his aim did not fail. One of the animals was struck and fell from the rocks, tumbling down the cliff.

The hunter went at once to Garmina. There he found that he had indeed slain one of the witches, killed by a shot through the head.

And so the story remained among the mountain people, who remembered that on the high paths of Garmina, even grazing animals might hide something far more dangerous.

Sources

SAGEN.at. (n.d.). Die Garmina-Hexen. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/schweiz/st_gallen/garmina_hexen.html.

Hafukohotsu Fox

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternate Names: Hafukohotsu Fox of Hirofuchi Mikura
Category: Fox

The Myth

In Hirofuchi Village, where the Date clan once kept its rice storehouses, many old foxes and raccoon dogs were said to live nearby, often frightening the villagers.

One night, a man assigned to guard the storehouse sat alone by the hearth, smoking. Suddenly his father appeared at the door, visiting at an unusual hour with no clear reason. The guard watched him closely and noticed something strange. His father was blind in one eye — the left — yet now that eye was shut while the other was open. Realizing this could not be right, he understood that the visitor must be a fox in disguise.

Hiding his suspicion, he spoke cheerfully.
“I have some rice cakes the villagers gave me. Would you like some?”

The false father smiled and accepted. The guard continued, pretending to think aloud about how his father preferred to eat them. The disguised fox hesitated, unsure of the answer, then finally replied,
“I… like hafukohotsu…”

The guard knew at once the creature had failed to say the name of the kinako rice cakes his real father loved. Still pretending nothing was wrong, he served the fox the bean-flour mochi and let him eat.

Later, as the guard prepared to sleep, he told the visitor there was no spare bedding and asked whether he could sleep wrapped in an empty rice sack. A real father would have taken offense, but the fox eagerly agreed. Seeing his chance, the guard wrapped the sack around him and tied it tightly with rope.

The fox complained mildly but soon fell asleep.

When dawn came and sunlight reached the storehouse, the creature realized it had been trapped. It struggled desperately, but the ropes held fast, and at last its tail slipped from the sack, revealing its true form — a large, old fox.

The story spread quickly through Hirofuchi and beyond. People laughed at the foolish fox who could not pronounce the name of rice cakes and had allowed himself to be tied up so easily. From then on, it was remembered as the Hafukohotsu Fox of Hirofuchi, a tale passed down to remind people that even clever fox spirits can sometimes be outwitted by careful eyes and quick thinking.

Sources

Tyz-Yokai Blog. (n.d.). Hafukohotsu Fox. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1077543077.html.

Harugitsune

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternate Names: Oharu-gitsune, Oharu the Fox
Category: Fox, shapeshifter, Household dweller

The Myth

In the port town of Akasaki, there once lived a fox spirit called Harugitsune, known affectionately as Oharu. She made her home in the forest behind Lord Ikeda’s rice storehouse, where a great pine tree stood on a steep cliff. At its roots was a hollow, and there Oharu lived with her children.

To care for them, she often slipped into town disguised as a human maid. She covered her ears with a handkerchief and folded the hem of her kimono to hide her tail. In this form she entered busy homes, helping with chores and quietly taking food back to the forest.

Oharu was mischievous but gentle. While serving tea, she would sometimes scoop ashes from the brazier and drop them into a teacup, smiling to herself. Before long, the townspeople realized she was a fox, yet they did not drive her away. Instead they welcomed her kindly.

Whenever someone teased her by saying, “I saw it, Oharu-san,” she would only laugh softly, “Huff, huff,” even when her tail slipped into view. The people would continue to invite her in, pour tea for her, and watch her playful tricks with fond amusement.

After her work was done, they gave her food to carry home, and she would return to her den in high spirits, smiling as she went back to her waiting children.

It was also said that Oharu kept a lamp burning in her den. She bought oil for it from a local shop at night, paying with coins that turned into camellia leaves by morning. The shopkeeper knew he had been fooled, yet he sold to her willingly, charmed by her gentle nature.

In time, people tied a pole and basket to the great pine tree above her den to use it as a marker for sailors watching the weather. As more people came and went, a path formed through the forest, and eventually the foxes vanished from the hollow at the tree’s base.

Afterward, a shrine to Inari was built on the spot. And though the forest changed, people remembered that once a kindly fox named Oharu had lived there, moving between town and wilderness, laughing softly as she cared for her young.

Sources

Tyz-Yokai Blog. (n.d.). Harugitsune. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1075303216.html.

Hakumō Hachibi Kitsune

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Tradition / Region: Japanese Mythology
Alternate Names: White-Haired Eight-Tailed Fox
Category: Fox

The Myth

In a village east of Incheon, strange events troubled the people for several years. Young men returning from nearby villages often spoke of meeting a beautiful woman on the mountain path at dusk. She appeared suddenly, graceful and calm, yet before anyone could question her, she vanished just as mysteriously. Each time she was seen, chickens from the village also disappeared.

One evening, a man working in a field encountered such a woman. She appeared beside him without warning and spoke gently, saying that traveling alone at night was lonely and asking him to accompany her to a distant village. Glad for company, he agreed and walked beside her.

But before long he collapsed and lost consciousness.

When he awoke, others told him what they had seen. He had wandered toward a hole by the roadside, thrusting his head inside while struggling as though something unseen held him. When the villagers examined the hole, they found it filled with countless bones of chickens and other birds. The tunnel stretched deep into the earth, so far that no one could see its end.

People came to believe that the mysterious woman and the vanishing livestock were connected. The hole was said to be the dwelling of a fox spirit, and the woman herself its human form.

Soon afterward, a witness claimed to have seen the creature directly — a fox with a reddish body and eight tails, each tail shining white as snow. Word spread quickly, and the tale of the White-Haired Eight-Tailed Fox traveled far beyond the village. Some even spoke of organizing a hunt to capture the strange fox alive.

Thus the spirit of the mountain path was remembered as a fox of great age and power, appearing as a beautiful woman by twilight and returning to the earth by night, leaving only bones and rumors behind.

Sources

Tyz-Yokai Blog. (n.d.). Hakumō Hachibi Kitsune. Retrieved March 1, 2026, from https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1040562430.html.