Japanese culture is rich with folklore, there are many symbols and stories that have deep meaning to their culture. One popular tale is the Tanuki. The Tanuki is a mysterious raccoon dog that is seen in statues all over Japan. They are reputedly mischievous and happy, masters of disguise and shapeshifting. While the tanuki is based off of a real animal, the stories to go along are that of legend. These animals have been known to be pranksters, and often deceive humans in humorous ways. They shapeshift, have been known to tease fishermen and farmers, and often play practical jokes in peoples homes.
Many Japanese people see the tanuki as a sign of luck, because of the meaning of the words’ characters. Ta「他」-other things and nuki-「抜き」-to omit- which can be understood as abandoning all else and leaving only the good things.
You’ll find statues depicting these creatures around Japan. It is said that they bring eight traits of good fortune. Including a smiling face, to represent being kind to others, big eyes to help you stay aware and make good decisions, and a belly drum, to ensure a steady, responsible, and calm attitude when making decisions. Take a look and see if you can find a Tanuki statue when visiting Japan outside a shop or family home.
Want to learn more see what NHK has to say about Tanuki https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHmlWiZO5AA.
written by Gabrielle Landry-Ellis