---
title: Japanese Tanuki
author: James Blake Wiener
source: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/7864/japanese-tanuki/
format: machine-readable-alternate
license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/)
updated: 1970-01-01
---

# Japanese Tanuki

_Authored by [James Blake Wiener](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/jbw288/)_

## Image File

[![Japanese Tanuki](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/7864.jpg)](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/7864.jpg)

## Image Caption

Statues of the Japanese Tanuki (or Japanese raccoon dog) are found all over [Japan](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Japan/), especially around shrines and taverns. The Japanese have many legends about the tanuki, but they are generally believed to be playful and foolish creatures with some supernatural powers. They appear frequently in folklore and legends. This statue of a Japanese tanuki was taken on Enoshima island.

#### Editorial Review

This human-authored image has been reviewed by our editorial team before publication to ensure accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards in accordance with our [editorial policy](https://www.worldhistory.org/static/editorial-policy/).

## About the Author

James Blake Wiener has a particular interest in cross-cultural exchange and world history. He is a co-founder of World History Encyclopedia and formerly was its Communications Director.
- [Linkedin Profile](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameswiener)

## Cite This Work

### APA
Wiener, J. B. (2018, January 10). Japanese Tanuki. *World History Encyclopedia*. <https://www.worldhistory.org/image/7864/japanese-tanuki/>
### Chicago
Wiener, James Blake. "Japanese Tanuki." *World History Encyclopedia*, January 10, 2018. <https://www.worldhistory.org/image/7864/japanese-tanuki/>.
### MLA
Wiener, James Blake. "Japanese Tanuki." *World History Encyclopedia*, 10 Jan 2018, <https://www.worldhistory.org/image/7864/japanese-tanuki/>.

## License & Copyright

Submitted by [James Blake Wiener](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/jbw288/ "User Page: James Blake Wiener"), published on 10 January 2018. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en). This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.