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