# Kitsune Mythology In the Japanese language, **Kitsune** can mean both a regular Japanese fox, a divine fox, or a demon fox. They can be found all over Japan, and the history Of The Japanese Kitsune goes back to the beginning of Japan Itself. In Japanese culture 9 tailed foxes are called "Kitsune", in Chinese it is "Huli Jing" and in Korean it is "Kumiho". Actually, there Are **13** different types of Kitsune. The thirteen different kinds of Kitsune each have their own element, including Heaven, Dark, Wind, Spirit, Fire, Earth, River, Ocean, Mountain, Forest, Thunder, Time and Sound. But what is a Kitsune, and how do you know if you are dealing with a good (**Zenko**) or a bad (**Nogitsune**) Japanese fox? Good foxes: Zenko **Zenko** are benevolent celestial Japanese foxes are associated with the god Inari. They are sometimes simply called **Inari** **foxes**. Even if they do not have nine tails, these Kitsune are always depicted as being white in color. **Inari foxes** in Japanese folklore are particularly fond of fried sliced tofu called **Aburage.** These Japanese foxes have the power to ward off evil, and they sometimes serve as guardian spirits. Besides protecting Inari shrines, they also protect the local villages from the evil Kitsune and other malevolent Japanese foxes. Bad foxes: Nogitsune **Nogitsune** are also part of the [yōkai](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y%C5%8Dkai) category, the demons of Japan. In Japanese folklore, there are stories about Kitsune tricking people from all manners of life. The cruel Japanese foxes target the bad traits of humans such as: pride, greed, and vanity. For their own entertainment **Nogitsune** can bring down even the most devout priest. They rarely attack women but prefer to possess them instead (Kitsunetsuki). Using their fox fire Kitsune ability "**kitsunebi**" they lure unsuspecting men to their doom. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://idle-kitsune.gitbook.io/whitepaper/welcome-to-idle-kitsune/kitsune-mythology.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.