Prebound Kitsune - Inari Zenko

A little background on the subject. The word "kitsune" simply means fox in Japanese. It's not a special designated word for "magickal shapeshifting fox spirit." The belief was much simpler -- foxes ARE magickal, as both an animal and a spirit. In the Western world, we've come to use the term "kitsune" to describe only the magickal spirit aspect of it.

When you get down to it, there are 2 alignments of kitsune -- those that are with Inari, and those that are not. Those that are blessed by Inari are marked by pale fur colors. Though they can still be fickle and tricky, they are mostly benevolent creatures. These kitsune are referred to as "zenko" or "good fox." Within the zenko order, there is a special rank a fox can receive, and this is the "myobu" -- court lady. These foxes were recognized by the Imperial court during the Heian era and were given this rank for the blessings they bestowed.

This kitsune, Hotae (ho-tah-eh), is an Inari zenko of the myobu rank.

I found her on the slopes of Mt. Inari while making my pilgrimage to the summit, and she has chosen to leave her home, the Fushimi Inari shrine, to become a spiritual companion for a lucky someone.

Hotae has a fun personality. She talks in a very polite, cheerful demeanor but can say some outrageously sassy remarks without changing her sweet, unassumingly polite tone. She also has a bit of a temper and is quite vindictive. She is also one to be very in the moment with her companion -- if you're yelling swear words at the car that cut you off, she's right there yelling with you (and maybe more.)

She's skilled in bringing wealth and opportunities, opening up your tactile sensitivity to energy, and karmic revenge. She will bring a kind of bad luck that only a kitsune with a deity on her side can bring.

Her preferred form is a bit unique -- she likes to appear as a snowy white fox with slightly grey brown ears, but is bipedal and wearing a kimono in her favorite colors -- pink and orange -- that looks a little too big for her and does drag on the ground.

I offered norito prayers to Inari and received his explicit permission before performing the binding, and received blessings unto the binding itself from him while it was being performed. This may bring a closer connection to the deity for the keeper themselves, or even just provide blessings in good fortune from having the binding present.

Her vessel is an Inari zenko keychain purchased from the streets lining the path to the Fushimi Inari Shrine.

For entertainment purposes only.