Japanese culture is full of tradition and folklore that has been passed down through generations. Some of this includes customs that are followed every day or special traditions that are practiced during holidays or matsuri (festivals). However, there is also some folklore that is rooted in the supernatural that is just as fascinating. While Japanese raccoon dogs are prominent in Japanese folklore and proverbs, they were not always clearly distinguished from other animals with a similar appearance.

While tanuki are considered to be a type of wild dog, they are also associated with supernatural and mythological powers in Japanese culture. These mythical abilities, which we will explore in more detail later in the article, have contributed to the tanuki's continued significance in Japanese folklore and popular culture.

The Tanuki's Mythical Powers

On Friday 3 rd May 1889, an exceedingly odd story was soberly reported in the Tôô Nipp ô, a popular regional newspaper in Meiji-period Japan. It concerned an evening steam train travelling from Ueno Station in Tokyo to Okegawa, a shukuba (lodging town or post station) on the Nakasendō (Central Mountain Highway), one of the old principal routes to Kyoto: [1] From time immemorial, Japanese tanuki were deified as governing all things in nature, but after the arrival of Buddhism, animals other than envoys of the gods (foxes, snakes, etc.) lost their divinity. Since all that remained was the image of possessing special powers, they were seen as evil or as yōkai, with tanuki being a representative type. Some also take the viewpoint that the image of the tanuki has overlapped with that of the mysterious and fearful 狸 of China (leopard cat). [6] However, since Japanese tanuki do not have the fearsome image that the leopard cats of China do, unlike in China, their image took the form of a more humorous kind of monster. [6] Traits [ edit ]

The oncoming train did the same, continuing to toot its whistle repeatedly. However, whilst it initially had appeared very close, it did not seem to come any closer. When the driver fixed his eyes on it, the train seemed to be there, but it also seemed not to be there – a figment – it was very unclear, so he increased his speed to the point that he should have crashed into the other train. But that other train just disappeared like smoke, leaving not one trace. Below, you'll find a list of all Dragon Karakuri that you can build in Wild Hearts, and learn more about what they do: What started as my curiosity turns into a cultural lesson for me and this post took me to research and write. I hope you enjoy this post and have learned a thing or two about this unique creature, as well as some Japanese culture. Read More Ok, here's a cute one.Wikipedia claims the tune this is sung to is the same as the gospel song "Shall we gather at the river?" It kind of sounds like it a little. But even after listening to both over and over, it's not clear whether these two songs are related. Haruo Shirane, Japan and the Culture of the Four Seasons: Nature, Literature, and the Arts, Columbia University Press, 2013. It's worth mentioning here Japanese culture is a lot less uptight about this sort of body-part humor than the West. For example there's a traditional children's song about it, which begins: