The Ordinary in Japan, Wows Visitors with Nature’s Uncommon Hoard!
This is a series on nature in Japan that is commonplace for us, but a bit unusual for visitors from overseas.
The theme of the second issue is “Tanuki (raccoon dog).”
What is a Tanuki (raccoon dog)?
Have you ever seen a tanuki (raccoon dog)?
A tanuki is a member of the dog family, similar to a raccoon, and is a mammal with a dark brown body coat about 60 cm in length.
In Japan, they are one of the most popular and natural wild animals that are frequently seen in villages like our Shima Onsen, and are often spotted in urban areas as well.
Japanese people are not at all surprised when we see a tanuki, but from a global perspective, it is a rare animal that used to live only in Japan and other parts of the Far East.
I wrote “used to live,” but it is said that tanukis, which were introduced to the Soviet Union in the first half of the 20th century for the purpose of fur, have become wild and have established themselves in some parts of Europe.
In Japan, on the contrary, raccoons, which were introduced as pets or for zoos, have become wild and can be seen almost anywhere in nature in Japan.
Where can we see tanukis in the wild?
So, where can we see the wild tanukis that are so popular in Japan?
I mentioned earlier that they are frequently seen in villages, but in fact,tanukis are nocturnal and do not seem to move around much during the day.
If you live in the nature of villages everyday like I do, you will often see tanukis crossing the road, but if you are a short-term visitor, you may not have the opportunity to see tanukis moving around.
If you happen to come across a tanuki while strolling in Shima Onsen, you are very lucky.
In fact, unfortunately, the tanukis I witness the most are the ones who have been involved in traffic accidents on the road.
Tanukis are an integral part of Japanese culture
As evidence that tanuki have been very popular creatures for a long time, many idioms and phrases using tanuki, stories about tanuki, and tanuki objects are present.
For example, “Tanuki Udon” and “Tanuki Soba” are very popular noodle dishes in Japan.
They do not contain tanuki meat as a garnish.
The origin of the name comes from the color of the ingredients placed on the noodles.
But note that “Tanuki Udon” or “Tanuki Soba” can be different food depending on the region.
Tanukis go into a state of suspended animation when startled, so pretending to be asleep at an inopportune moment is called “Tanukineiri (raccoon-dog sleeping).”
A sneaky person is often referred to as “he is quite a Tanuki.”
It is also said that tanukis have long been regarded as suspicious animals with the ability to taunt people and transform themselves into people and objects.
There are stories of tanukis incarnating throughout Japan, and in Gunma Prefecture, where I live, there is a temple called Morinji Temple, famous for the legend of “Bumpuku Chagama,” which is based on a tea kettle that is an incarnation of a tanuki.
If you travel around Japan, you may see ornaments like the one in this photo.
This is a tanuki made of Shigaraki-ware pottery.
The word “Tanuki” is a Japanese word that can be taken to mean “outstanding,” so it is often placed as a good-luck talisman to bring prosperity to a business.
I hesitate to express it in full here, but there is a vulgar song that all Japanese people know, “Tang Tang, Tanuki’s …”
Ask someone you have befriended in Japan to sing it for you.
Incidentally, this song is said to be a paraphrase of the Christian hymn “Shall we gather at the river,” and Christians may have to laugh at it…
Thus, tanukis seem to me to have been integrated into the Japanese culture and have acquired the position of a beloved character who deceives people but is not hateful.
You may have met many tanuki on your journey?
As you can see, tanuki, which have spun a long history together with the Japanese people, exist throughout Japan in various forms, in addition to real tanukis that live in nature.
The old saying, “Tanuki have the ability to transform themselves,” may not be far from the truth.
During your trip to Japan, you are sure to encounter many tanukis of various shapes and sizes. Please keep an eye out. You may discover something new.
References: National Institute for Environment Studies – Invasive Species of Japan
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