The Story of Tanuki

anuki is a Japanese raccoon dog, but also the stuff of legends…

According to Shinto folklore Tanuki is a kami, a spirit creature with powers to shift shapes at will in pursuit of women, wine, a free meal and mischief in any order they were to be found.

 Often Tanuki is pictured looking inebriated, confused and holding an empty sake flask and a counterfeit promissory note or a leaf- Tanuki were famous for having the ability to trick sake shop owners into believing the leaves were money in payment- as soon as Tanuki left the money turned back into leaves.

For obvious reasons sake merchants and restaurateurs adopted Tanuki as their protective kami, often placing a statue of the fellow outside where he was a sign that good times were to be had inside…

 TanTan Tanuki

No kintama wa

Kaze mo nai no ni

Bura Bura

 …tsugi watashi wa no ban desu!