八百八狸 · tanuki · Shikoku

Eight Hundred and Eight Tanuki

The Eight Hundred and Eight Tanuki is a collective name for numerous tanuki that reside in Shikoku. Known for their extravagant celebrations and gatherings, they are seen as embodiments of good fortune and various transformations.

Legend

Folklore describes nightly festivities where these tanuki celebrate their ingenuity by shapeshifting into various forms to entertain human witnesses.