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tanuki
📅 Updated:2025-12-22
🕒 Created:2013-05-14
🆔 ID:3788
Description
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The Japanese raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus), also known as tanuki (狸 or たぬき, [taꜜnɯki]) in Japanese, is a species of raccoon dog, a canid indigenous to East Asia and Japan with introduced populations living in Eastern Europe. They are classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
The Japanese raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus), also known as tanuki (狸 or たぬき, [taꜜnɯki]) in Japanese, is a species of raccoon dog, a canid indigenous to East Asia and Japan with introduced populations living in Eastern Europe. They are classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
In Japan, they have folkloric significance and are often popular as statues. They are mostly portrayed as overweight (though not always), while males are depicted with large testicles; both characteristics of which are signs of good fortune and abundance. These supernatural depictions of tanuki are known as bake-danuki.
They are not related to either badgers or raccoons, both of which they are often mistaken for in western cultures. Their closest living relatives are in fact the Vulpes genus or true foxes, which are considered to be rivals of the tanuki in Japanese folklore.
Popular examples of tanuki in Japanese pop culture include the main cast of the Studio Ghibli film Pom Poko, Michiru from the anime series Brand New Animal, and Tom Nook from the Animal Crossing video games (although in his case, he was localized as a raccoon in international releases).
