Tanuki (狸 or タヌキ) is the common
Japanese name for the
Japanese raccoon dog (
Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus). They have been part of
Japanese folklore since ancient times. The legendary tanuki is reputed to be mischievous and jolly, a master of disguise and
shapeshifting, but somewhat gullible and absent-minded.Tanuki is often somewhat mistakenly translated as
raccoon or
badger into English, animals which are similar to tanuki in appearance, but are actually different species.
Statues of tanuki can be found outside many Japanese temples and
restaurants, especially noodle shops. These statues often wear big,
cone-shaped hats and carry bottles of
sake in one hand, and a
promissory note or empty purse in the other hand. Tanuki statues always have large bellies. The statues also usually show humorously large
testicles, typically hanging down to the floor or ground, although this feature is sometimes omitted in contemporary sculpture
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