Kitsunetsuki

, also written , literally means "the state of being possessed by a fox". The victim is usually said to be 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.

Though foxes in folklore can possess a person of their own will, is often attributed to the malign intents of hereditary fox employers.

Stories of fox possession (''kitsunetsuki'') can be found in all lands of Japan, as part of its folk religion. Stories of ''kitsunetsuki'' s have already been attested during the Heian period.

From a clinical standpoint, those possessed by a fox are thought to suffer from a mental illness or similar condition. Such illness explanations were already being published by the 19th century, but the superstition was difficult to eradicate. (cf. )

Heian period

The belief in ''kitsunetsuki'' dates back to the Heian Period. The attribution of illness to evil fox spirit is already attested in ''Nihon ryōiki'' ("Miraculous Stories", 9th century), hence folk belief in ''kitsunetsuki'' dates at least as far back as this.

Early three foxes ritual

Another piece of evidence that fox possession must have already been firmly been entrenched some time after the introduction the esoteric of ''mikkyō'' Buddhism in the 9th century was that the esoteric Buddhist liturgy for removing spiritual possession (or at least fox-caused illness) involved creating the effigies of the "three foxes", namely , , and out of dough and swallowing the burnt ash. A related work ''Byakuhōshō'' (13th cent.) calls the three foxes celestial fox, terrestrial fox, and , and refers to them as the three "obstacles" ()

Hungry fox

It is said that when a fox possesses a person, it does so in order to satiate hunger, or craving for more delicacy or gourmet food. Or it may harbor a desire to be worshiped.

But the possessed person himself or herself often cannot articulate what the fox's motives or wishes are. So the possession is taken over by a ''miko'' exorcist temporarily, who can speak on behalf of the devil. Such is the turn of events in e.g the narrative (''setsuwa'') of the 11th century ''Uji shūi monogatari''

Muromachi and Edo period

The idea of fox possession arguably became more widespread in the fifteenth century.

The rational explanation as an illness had already appeared in print in the work (1818)., art name (9 month of Bunsei 1 /1818). But the superstition would persistently remain entrenched in the populace for many more years.

Persisting superstition

Izumo area

A ("man-fox") according to Lafcadio Hearn is a fox spirit, apparently smaller than the usual fox (no larger than a weasel) except its tail being like a normal full-sized fox's. It is invisible so cannot be detected until it takes possession of some human. Actually the ''ninko'' is considered to be kept by the ''kitsune-mochi'', i.e., families gossiped to own and control a fox that can possess, gaining success via that power.

Ninko

The (or ''jinko'') is actually a regional term, only spoken of commonly (outside of literature) in the region where Hearn resided, Izumo (now Shimane Prefecture), the neighboring Hōki (now part of Tottori Prefecture). The associate lore of ''kitsunemochi'' or "fox owning" families is sporadic throughout Japan, but prevalent in the western portion of the former Izumo province.

It was in this central San'in region where gossip about certain families being ''ninko''-havers (''ninko-mochi'' or ''kistune-mochi'') got started. According to the work (1786), the very concept of "kitsune-mochi" arose around the early Kyōhō era (c. 1710s), in the wake of conflict between the landlord peasant and his sharecroppers, where resentment toward the landlord's sanctions resulted in the spreading of the vicious rumor.

However (with ties to folklorist Kunio Yanagita) asserted that a suitably educated person, almost certainly a (''shugendō'' trained yamabushi of high status) who was well versed enough in fox superstition matters to know the jargon ''jinko/ninko'' to informed the peasantry. Before that, the spirit was probably called as in other regions. Also, one simply needs to juxtapose "fox" with the stock phrase ) to arrive at or the heavenly, earthly, and man-fox.

What the Izumo folk call ''ninko'' or ''kitsune-mochi'' parallels the ''inugami'' ("dog spirit") of the neighboring Iwami Province and Oki islands. (Shimane Prefecture). The ''inugami'' was also known as ''tōhyō'' though is usually considered a serpent familial spirit.

Kitsune-mochi benefits and stigma

Other kitsune use their magic for 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 (''kitsune-mochi'', or "fox-havers") are "shunned". Oddly, samurai families were often reputed to share similar arrangements with kitsune, but these foxes were considered ''zenko'' and the use of their magic a sign of prestige.

Exorcism

Attempting to rid someone of a fox spirit was done via an exorcism, sometimes perhaps at an Inari shrine, but usually through visit by a ''miko'' (female shaman, nominally or actually a Shinto priestess) or a yamabushi trained in ''shugendō''.

The miko will first transfer the fox spirit from the patient to herself, as in the medieval tale described under

If a priest was not available or if the exorcism failed, alleged victims of 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.

Self-induced possession

A ''miko'' or ''itako'' purports to be capable of forcing a controlled possession of herself by a fox spirit, and engage in , a sort of séance to speak on behalf of the spirit.

Clinical study and psychiatry

''Kitunetsuki'' remained a common diagnosis for mental illness until the early 20th century. Possession 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 . 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.

Clinical psychiatric studies of the ''kitsunetsuki'' were still made during the Meiji Era (end of 20th century), especially around Shimane (Hearn's home province) where ''kitsunetsuki'' remained prevalent. A German doctor coined the term ''alopecanthropy'' for it, in 1885.

Symptoms include cravings for rice or sweet adzuki beans, listlessness, restlessness, and aversion to eye contact. This sense of is similar to but distinct from clinical lycanthropy.

Familiar spirits

The faith healers who are hired to cure the ''kitsune-tsuki'' as an illness, the ''miko''

se 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 were also said to be able to bring about illness and curse the possessions, crops, and livestock of enemies. This caused them to be considered taboo by the other families, which led to societal problems.

There are families that tell of protective fox spirits, and in certain regions, possession by a , , , and hito-gitsune are also called .

See also

* - another tutelary (familial) animal spirit
* - another tutelary (familial) animal spirit, usually conceived of as snake

Notes

References

Works cited

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** --.(1975). Reprinted under new title 憑物耳袋, in: ''Tsukimo'' 憑物. Hobunkan shuppan.

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External links

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{{Authority control

Exorcism
Inari faith
Kitsune (fox)
Spirit possession
Yōkai