Tanuki

Tanuki is the word for raccoon dog in Japanese, as well as a mythical creature (yōkai) related to the real-life animal. The yōkai version of tanuki are also called bake-danuki. In Japanese folklore, tanuki are often described as tricksters who are able to shapeshift, similar to kitsune (fox yōkai).

References

1. 1 2 Graham, Trevor. "The Trickster Animal Spirit: Tanuki". Japan House | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Retrieved 2026-09-15.

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