No. 07 · Lucky Creatures
Kitsune, the fox
- Kanji
- 狐
- Reading
- きつね · kitsune
Stone foxes guard thousands of shrines in Japan — often with a key or a jewel in their mouth.
What it means
Foxes are the messengers of Inari, the kami of rice, harvests and prosperity — and the patron of business. Shops and companies keep small Inari shrines for good trade.
At Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto, thousands of vermilion torii gates climb the mountain, watched over by fox statues.
In folklore, kitsune are clever shapeshifters; the older and wiser, the more tails they grow — up to nine.
At the sushi counter
Inari-zushi is named after the fox’s god: sushi rice tucked into sweet, fried tofu pouches (aburaage), said to be the fox’s favourite food. Kitsune udon is noodle soup topped with the same tofu.
Good to know
- Offerings of aburaage are still left at Inari shrines.
- Kitsune no yomeiri, “the fox’s wedding”, is what Japanese call rain while the sun shines.
- There are around 30,000 Inari shrines in Japan.
