Kitsunetsuki: Fox Possession in Japan

Kitsunetsuki, or fox possession, is a form of spiritual affliction recognized in Japan for over a thousand years. Victims are believed to be possessed by kitsune (fox spirits), producing symptoms including altered personality, cravings for specific foods, and physical manifestations. The phenomenon continues to be reported in modern Japan.

The Kitsune

In Japanese folklore, foxes (kitsune) are intelligent supernatural beings capable of shapeshifting and possessing humans. They may be benevolent messengers of the god Inari or malevolent tricksters.

Foxes are said to enter victims through their fingernails or chest. Once inside, they may take control of the victim’s actions or simply coexist parasitically.

Symptoms

Kitsunetsuki produces characteristic symptoms. Victims often display a changed personality, becoming more cunning or animalistic. They may crave foods foxes enjoy, particularly tofu. Some develop facial features said to resemble a fox.

Victims may speak with altered voices, claiming to be the possessing fox. They often display knowledge they should not possess.

Historical Context

Kitsunetsuki was recognized as a genuine medical condition in historical Japan. Entire families were sometimes ostracized as “fox-possessing families,” believed to control foxes that attacked their enemies.

Treatment involved Shinto or Buddhist rituals, offerings to Inari, or ceremonies to convince the fox to leave.

Modern Cases

Kitsunetsuki continues to be reported in rural Japan, though urbanization has reduced the prevalence of fox-related beliefs. Psychiatry has sometimes diagnosed traditional possession cases as dissociative disorders, but this explanation does not satisfy all observers.

Assessment

Kitsunetsuki represents a culturally specific form of possession with a history spanning over a millennium. Whether the phenomenon represents genuine supernatural possession, a culture-bound psychological syndrome, or something else, it continues to be part of Japanese spiritual experience.

The foxes still possess those who believe in them.