The Japanese raccoon dog (Nyctereutes viverrinus), also called the tanuki, is a species of canid that is endemic to Japan. [1] It is one of two species in the genus Nyctereutes, alongside the common raccoon dog (N. procyonoides), [2] of which it is considered to be a subspecies by some taxonomic authorities.

Understanding the Context

In Japan, raccoon dogs have had a prominent role in folklore since ancient times. They ... One of the more curious symbols is the tanuki, a raccoon dog that represents a traditional Japanese prankster god. The tanuki is known in the West best from Super Mario Brothers 3, which features ...

Key Insights

Is it a dog, a raccoon, or a mythical trickster? Discover the real animal behind Japan’s famous tanuki—from folklore to the only canid that hibernates. Often, tanuki incorporate their testicles into their disguises: the tanuki becoming a shopkeeper and its testicles transforming into the shop; or perhaps a palanquin complete with servants to cart the tanuki from place to place. A famous nursery rhyme about tanuki testicles is learned by children everywhere: Tanuki the Tipsy Trickster: Why a Well-Endowed Raccoon Dog Is Big in Japan The tanuki is a wild canid species native to Japan that is related to wolves, foxes, and domestic dogs. It's also known as the Japanese raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus) and is a ...

Final Thoughts

"Tanuki" from Gazu Hyakki Yagyo by Sekien Toriyama Bake-danuki (化け狸) are a kind of yōkai (supernatural beings) found in the classics and in the folklore and legends of various places in Japan, commonly associated with the Japanese raccoon dog or tanuki. Although the tanuki is a real, extant animal, the bake-danuki that appears in literature has always been depicted as a strange, even ...