1.
raccoon dog; tanuki
A canid native to East Asia with a distinctive masked face. Not related to raccoons despite the English name. Tanuki are significant in Japanese folklore as shapeshifters.
狸 refers to the Japanese raccoon dog, a species unique to East Asia.
Common expressions
- 狸そば (soba with tenkasu/tempura crumbs)
- 狸寝入り (pretending to be asleep)
- 狸親父 (sly old man)
- 狐と狸の化かし合い (battle of wits between sly people)
- 取らぬ狸の皮算用 (don't count your chickens before they hatch)
Counter: 匹
Cultural note
The ceramic 狸 statues with large bellies, straw hats, and sake bottles seen outside restaurants are from 信楽 in Shiga Prefecture. In folklore, tanuki can shapeshift and are often depicted as playful tricksters, in contrast to the more cunning 狐.