Meet the Japanese tanuki.
Raccoon dog.
Native to East Asia, they're members of the canine family even though
they strongly resemble raccoons.
Companionship and family are very important to tanuki.
They're generally monogamous and live in small close-knit groups.
Male tanuki are very nurturing to their young and have a reputation
for being compassionate partners and doting fathers.
Tanuki are the only canines to hibernate during the winter.
Again going with community and family, they are communal hibernators,
hunkering down in groups.
Tanuki feature prominently in Japanese folklore as Bake-danuki,
or Monster Raccoon Dog, a shape-shifting monster.
In the past couple hundred years, the tanuki have evolved into
more jovial spirits bestowing good fortune and prosperity.
Generally depicted with a bulbous belly, massive scrotum,
and host of goofy facial expressions, he is often seen carrying
a sake flask and a promissory note of unpaid bills.
(Sounds like some of my relatives.)
And believe it or not, the ginormous scrotum has nothing to do with
virility or sexual prowess, even though Japan is kinda kinky like that.
The story dates back to 19th century metal workers who wrapped gold
in tanuki skin before hammering it into gold leaf.
The tanuki skin was so strong that a tiny bit of gold could be
hammered thin enough to stretch across "eight tatami mats".
Because the Japanese terms for small ball of gold (kin no tama) and
testicles (kintama) sound so similar, the image of the satumi
with large testicular area came to represent good fortune
and "stretching one's money". And because bake-danuki
represent prosperity and economic growth,small statues are frequently
found at the entrance of Japanese bars and restaurants,
bidding customers to "come in and don't be stingy."
7 comments:
wondering what kind of 'coon dog the raccoon dog would make....."infiltrate and capture"....
vaquero viejo
Large testicles are never a sign of sexual prowess, but of sexual frustration. After a while they supposedly turn blue. Alleged to be common among married men.....
So large ball sack is a sign of good credit - will Credit Karma for themselves (of course I'm good for the money - check out my nutz !)
I want one
so by what known you want one as a pet?
or plaything?
when you gonna shoot me?
Wildflower
I've been to a couple of Shinto shrines dedicated to Tanuki in Japan, & hey, he's my kind of guy so I did throw a few coins in the collection box.
I was following along nice and fun like, until you started talking about hammering on his scrotum, and then I kind of started to turn colors and get a sick feeling in my lower gut. I know, it's all fun and games until someone gets kicked in the, ahem, area between the knees.
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