Kitsune: The Trickiest Kind of Fox

 Name: Lucy Hill

Kitsune may just be the coolest kind of fox you will ever learn about. Kitsune are mythological foxes or foxlike creatures, some people just call them foxes and others believe they aren’t enough like a real fox to be called one. Kitsune originated in Japan and are very important in all aspects of their culture like religion, entertainment, art, fashion, and more. (Encyclopedia Brittanica).

“Kitsune.” Mythical Creatures Information. 

There are thought to be two types of kitsune, good and bad. All possess many interesting characteristics. Kitsune are believed to live for hundreds or thousands of years and get wiser and more powerful as they age. The most prominent power kitsune are known for is metamorphosis or shapeshifting. It is believed by many that when kitsune reach one hundred years old, they gain the ability to shapeshift. The good or holy kitsune use their powers for good and are seen to be god’s messengers. They use their powers to protect people, give good luck, and get rid of evil spirits. Bad or wild foxes are kitsune that use their powers for evil or for pranking and tricks. They take the shape of certain people and trick the people close to them or just play around (Yokai). 

The myth of kitsune originated from a time when foxes were commonly seen in Japan in people’s everyday lives. These believed powers of foxes stemmed from people being near them and observing their behavior (Japan Primavera). Joshua Furr, an avid lover and researcher of all things Japan and Japanese culture, wrote an article about Kitsune on Edge of Niigata. In his article, he goes into three different parts of life in Japan that kitsune are involved in. These are the divine (religion), the delicious (food), and the legend (art and mythology). The divine refers to kitsune being associated with the goddess Inari of prosperity, because of this connection, kitsune are often found on shrines of Inari. The delicious refers to kitsune’s connections with food. Since the goddess Inari is associated with  agricultural bounty, so are kitsune. Farmers have a special relationship with kitsune, believing they kept pests away and as a peace offering would leave them dead mice to eat. The legend refers to the mythology around kitsune. In Japanese folklore, kitsune are the only foxes that can get married, this is often shown in art and myths written about them (Edge of Niigata). 

Overall, kitsune are very wise and interesting creatures. Whether they are working for good or evil, they are a large part of all aspects of Japanese culture.

Works Cited:

Ancient Origins. “Beware the Kitsune, The Shapeshifting Fox of Japanese Folklore.” Ancient Origins: Unravelling the Mysteries of the Past. 10 Oct. 2024. https://www.ancientorigins.net/myths-legends-asia/kitsune-0012027.

Furr, Joshua. “Tails of Kitsune: The Many Faces of Niigata’s Mysterious Fox.” Edge of Niigata, 28 June 2023. Tails Of Kitsune: The Many Faces of Niigata's Mysterious Fox | Edge of Niigata.

Martin, Roland. “Kitsune Japanese Folklore.” Encyclopedia Brittanica, 28 Mar. 2024. https://www.britannica.com/topic/kitsune.

Yokai Database. “Kitsune.” Yokai Database for Japanese Folklore, 17 September 2021. https://yokai.com/kitsune/.

Zaicek, Vladimir. “Kitsune- The Fox of a Thousand Appearances.” Japan Primavera, 10 Oct. 2024. https://www.japanprimavera.com/gb/blog/articoli-del-blog/kitsune-the-fox-of-athousand-appearances.

Links to further research:

Mythological Creatures Information: Kitsune - Japanese fox spirits | mythicalcreatures.info This source dives deeply into the origin of the mythological creature and the stories created around the creature.

Japanese Oni Masks: What is Kitsune? Types - Tales & Everything You Need to Know – Japanese Oni Masks  This sources dives deeply into all sorts of types of kitsune depicted in Japanese mythology and culture.

Bokksu: Kitsune: The Enigmatic Fox of Japanese Folklore – Bokksu This source dives deeply into how kitsune are involved in religion and spirituality in Japan.

Yonaguni Monument, Japan

by Briana Scarborough

Diver swimming over the Yonaguni Monument

 In 1985, Kihachiro Artake, a young diver searching for dive sites, discovered an underwater mystery. This mystery was the Yonaguni Monument which could also be called the Yonaguni Pyramid. The Yonaguni Monument is located off Ryukyu Islands in Japan. A few years after the discovery, Professor Masaaki Kimura became interested and went to explore this Monument.

The monument is made of sandstone and mudstone which dates back 20 million years ago. The Yonaguni Monument stretches close to 4,000 kilometers. This monument is a diving location for people interested in swimming with hammerhead sharks. It has a staircase with flat sides.

Yonaguni Monument’s Stairs

There have been arguments that this monument could have been man made by Masaaki Kimura. As stated on http://www.yonaguni.ws/ “The flat parallel faces, sharp edges, the right and precise obtuse angles of the formation would indicate that the monolith was carved by a man.” Many researchers consider the discovery of the Yonaguni Monument to be similar the lost continent of Atlantis. Atlantis was “destroyed” around 9500-9600 B.C. Many believe that the Yonaguni Monument resembles a lost civilization. Although this hasn’t been proven, many still believe that Yonaguni could be a discovery of Atlantis. Masaaki Kimura is more convinced after each dive he takes that this monument is the remains of Atlantis.

Dr. Robert Schoch believes that the Yonaguni Monument is in fact naturally made. He says, “I’m not convinced that any of the major features or structured are man-made steps or terraces, but they’re all natural.”. He continues to argue that earthquakes or anything caused by mother nature could result in the Monument’s change in features. Robert Schoch believes that there is no evidence that could prove that this monument is man made.

In the video “Yonaguni Underwater Monument” divers show the monument. They talk about the surroundings and size of the monument. A diver states, “I want divers around the world to see this great view”. People who have dived and saw this monument are very astounded by the view.

Yonaguni Underwater Monument from REISEbazaar on Vimeo.


Works Cited:
Christie, Ben. “ Marine Geologist discovers A Supposed 10,000 Year Old Yonaguni Monument, Dubbed Japanese Atlantis” Collective Evolution 13 June 2014 https://www.collective-evolution.com/2014/06/13/marine-geologist-unearths-a-supposed-10000-year-old-yonaguni-monument-dubbed-japanese-atlantis/ 15 October 2018

Faiia, Santha. Yonaguni: The Main Monument and its Surroundings. 1999, Graham Hancock http://grahamhancock.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/1-5.jpg

Smith-Dickson, Deborah.  “The Yonaguni Monument: Is it the Lost City of Atlantis?” Scuba Diver Life. 14 December 2017 https://scubadiverlife.com/yonaguni-monument-lost-city-atlantis/ 15 October 2018

Links for further research:
Yonaguni
http://www.yonaguni.ws/
Information based on the Yonaguni Monument

National Geographic
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/09/yonaguni-jima-japan-underwater-city/
Gives information and pictures about the Yonaguni Monument.

A Hot Cup of Joe
https://ahotcupofjoe.net/2009/03/the-ancient-underwater-ruins-of-yonaguni-japan/
Information describing the monuments features.

The Suicide Forest

Author: Shawny B

On the outside, Japan seems like a very happy country with loving people, but on the inside, the deep inside of Japan, that's not the case. In the dense forest of Mount Fuji lies the suicide forest. Often known as the sea of trees. Aokigahara is considered the most haunted location in all of Japan. The sucide forest is the second most popular place for sucide, right behind The Golden Gate Bridge in San Fransico, California. 

Don't look for me.

The suicide forest, located in Aokigahara, Japan is a very lonely place to die. Because of how dense the forest is, it is very easy to disappear in the vegetation, making it the perfect place to die. Also because of the density, no sounds can be heard other than the actual sounds of the forest. Every year, authorities find and remove over 100 bodies, but others are still undiscovered for years because the forest is to dense to be patrolled frequently. Hundreds of volunteers along with authorities seek to find the bodies of the suicide victims. So many people kill themselves, the authorities have no other place to store the remains. Rumor has it that the cause for this place to be the ultimate place to die, is based on a Sixties novel of a woman killing herself in the actual forest. They actually made a television show out of it! I'm pretty sure that will spark an idea. After the launch of the novel, people started to take their own lives at the rate of fifty to one hundred deaths a year. Each year the suicide ratings go up. The number of bankruptcies and unemployment have a lot to do with those rising ratings. In March, which is the end of the fiscal year, more people come to the forest because of the bad economy. 

The rate of suicide is so high here, the police have put up signs on the way to the forest saying, "Please Reconsider" and "Please consult the police before you decide to die!" nailed to the trees. The bodies that are taking from the woods are taking to a room and put on a bed where someone sleeps beside it… creepy right? Well, it's true! It was said that if the corpse was left alone, it will scream though out the night.

The Japanese government has raised the suicide awareness in school and work places. They have gone as far as to post security cameras to the entrances of the forest.

Mount Fuji is a beautiful place to visit, from a far that is. If you go into the actual forest, prepare to hear weird sounds, and be visited by ghosts and demons. 

Works Cited:

Lyle Brennan,"The suicide forest of Japan: Mount Fuji beauty spot where up to 100 bodies are found very year,"Mail Online, Glam Entertainment, 2012, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2127414/The-suicide-forest-Japan-Mystery-Mount-Fuji-beauty-spot-100-bodies-year.html

Zack Davisson,"The Suicide Woods of Woods of Mt. Fuji,"Japanzine,2006,http://www.japanzine.jp/article/jz/957/the-suicide-woods-of-mt-fuji

Peter Hadfield,"Japan Struggles with soaring death toll in Suicide Forest," The Telegraph, 2000,http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/1373287/Japan-struggles-with-soaring-death-toll-in-Suicide-Forest.html

Kyung Lah,"Desperate Japanese head to 'suicide forest'," CNN, 2009, http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/03/19/suicide.forrest.japan/

Vice News,"Aokigahara Suicide Forest," Vice, 2011, http://www.vice.com/vice-news/aokigahara-suicide-forest-v3

Websites for further research

 The Japan Times http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2011/06/26/general/inside-japans-suicide-forest/#.UmHGKBYTv6c This website delivers a personal experience that the author observed going into the forest.

Intruders tangle 'suicide forest' with tape http://web.archive.org/web/20080506060315/http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200805020328.html This website gives additional information bout the actual density f the forest.

Japan's harvest of death http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/japans-harvest-of-death-635356.html This website gives information about how much deaths are recorded, and how much people die a year.

The Forest of Suicide

Author: Julia Stuart

The Forest of Suicide

            Near the base of Mount Fuji lays the Aokigahara forest, which according to John on Tofugu.com, is “also known as the Sea of Trees, Suicide Forest, and Japan’s Demon Forest...”  John also mentions that “Aokigahara is the world’s second most popular place for suicide.”  Why would people come to this forest just to commit suicide?  Well, after researching Aokigahara, I have found that the forest became a suicide hot-spot soon after a novel called Kuroi Kaiju by Seicho Matsumoto was published.  In the novel Kuroi Kaiju, which means Black Sea of Trees, two lovers commit suicide in the forest of Aokigahara.  Many believe that this book sparked the suicide frenzy because according to Lauren Sesana this book along with The Complete Manual of Suicide   has been found with the remains of the bodies. However, there were also suicides that predated the novel.  During times of famine in Japan, people would leave family members in the Sea of Trees so they would have fewer mouths to feed (Sesana).  It sounds gruesome, but Aokigahara has the perfect topography if you want to get rid of someone. 

            Aokigahara is known to be very still and quiet. Sesana notes, “The vegetation is extremely dense; the numerous trees block out most of the light, even in the middle of the day.  The trees also block the wind, and there is little wildlife to be seen or heard.”  She continues, “Perhaps for this reason Aokigahara has been thought to be the realm of demons.”  The name “Japan’s Demon Forest” has been given to Aokigahara because according to John the spiritualists of Japan believe that the ground and vegetation have been infused by the suicides, which then causes paranormal activity.  It is said that spirits can be spotted by visitors shifting between trees (John) as seen in the picture below.

Aokigahara is a beautiful forest which has somewhat been corrupted by the mass suicides that occur in it.  The fact that demons are believed to live in the forest also makes the forest less appealing.  If someone doesn’t believe in demons, doesn’t mind seeing corpses, and has a good sense of direction, Aokigahara is a lovely place for sightseeing.

Works Cited:

John. “Aokigahara: Japan’s Haunted Forest of Death.” Tofugu.com. Tofugu. 2012. Web. 12 Oct. 2012.

Sesana, Laura. “Aokigahara, Japan’s Suicide Forest.”TheWashingtonTimes.com. The Washington Times, LLC. 19 Aug. 2012. Web. 10 Oct. 2012.

Image MILL. “Forest Butoh crawl.” Photograph. Flickriver. Image MILL, 18 June, 2009. Web. 19 Oct. 2012.

Links for Further Research:

The Washington Times Communities. 

http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/world-our-backyard/2012/aug/19/aokigahara-japans-suicide-forest/

This site contains information from what people write since it’s a social journalism site.

Tofogu.

http://www.tofugu.com/2012/07/23/aokigahara-japans-haunted-forest-of-death/

This website provides allot of information that was taken from other websites.

Environmental graffiti.

http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/news-aokigahara-forest-death

This website gives a somewhat broad summary about Aokigahara.