An incredible pair of Inari (Japanese fox's) made of pottery. Original patina consistent with age. No major damage.
No two Kitsune are exactly alike, and all of them are complex characters! Their high intelligence and boundless creativity make them hard to predict. Foxes and humans lived close together in ancient Japan; this companionship gave rise to legends about the creatures. Kitsune have become closely associated with Inari, a Shinto kami or spirit, and serve as its messengers. This role has reinforced the fox's supernatural significance.

Kitsune are believed to possess superior intelligence, long life, and magical powers. They are a type of yōkai. The word kitsune is sometimes translated as 'fox spirit', which is actually a broader folkloric category. This does not mean that kitsune are ghosts, nor that they are fundamentally different from regular foxes. Because the word spirit is used to reflect a state of knowledge or enlightenment, all long-lived foxes were believed to gain supernatural abilities.
Original pigments can be seen of red, greens, and grey / tan.

Edo Period 18th Century

Dimensions 20 1/2" High x 10" Wide x 7" Deep