tanuki

• Question:-What is the diffrence between a tanuki and a raccoon?
  So far the only difference between tanuki and raccoon that i know of is that tanukis are from Japan and raccoons from America. Is there a bigger diffrence then that?
  
  Answer:-'Tanuki' is the Japanese word for the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides). This is a member of the dog family, Canidae, which is found in Eurasia. It is a completely different animal to the raccoon (Procyon lotor) of North America, which is a member of the family Procyonidae. It resembles the raccoon in shape and colour, hence its name, but the two are not related beyond both belonging to the order Carnivora. Here are some images:
  
  Raccoon dog:
  http://www.all-creatures.org/anex/raccdog-01.jpg
  
  Raccoon:
  http://torontoist.com/attachments/toronto_patrickm/2006_10_05_raccoon.jpg
• Question:-What is the origin to the Japanese mythology about Tanuki testicals?
  Where does it come from? They say all myths are based off of some small truth.
  
  Answer:-Japan
• Question:-Is there a pokemon based on a badger or a tanuki?
  I've been sucked back into the fandom by a friend, but I missed the generation III pokes (or maybe I missed an older one). I know there are plenty of poke fans out there! ;) Can one of you answer? Thanks ♥
  
  Answer:-Also they said that the Pokemon Typhlosion is possibly based on a badger/wolverine...
  Zigzagoon can be possibly based on the tanuki
  Linoone can possible be based on a Wiesel/badger
• Question:-do they teach stealth and cloaking techniques as well as fighting at the Tanuki Bujinkan Dojo in New Jersey?
  Is this the true art of the ninja or just fighting techniques?
  
  Answer:-Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu is the true art of Ninjutsu. You will learn all of the techniques of the Ninjas including stealth.
• Question:-Where can I go to see wild Tanuki in Japan?
  
  the native japanese raccoon is the tanuki.. i see lots of pics but where do i find them!!
  
  Answer:-Tanuki are furtive and nocturnal-I have come across kamoshika and plenty of monkeys while hiking in Japan, but never a tanuki. It's not as if they are rare, they are out there but you just don't see them. If you really want to see one the best approach would likely be to set up a "stake-out" overnight near a garbage can or wherever else humans would be likely to leave something edible they could grab. I imagine they are crazy about salt just like raccoons so they are likely to seek out chip bags and the like . My guess is Chichubu would be crawling with them.
• Question:-Can anyone tell me about Inari Kitsune or Tanuki or Neko? Are they all shapeshifters?
  I read a little about Inari foxes on Wiki but I'm wondering if you have anything else to tell me. Was there any special kitsune? Do all neko shapeshift or just the very old ones? Can racoons shapeshift?
  
  Answer:-I'm pagan, and one of my primary dieties is (are?) kitsune. Most that are devoted to them simply refer to them as kitsune, which I believe simply means "fox".
  
  Kitsune are servants of the rice-god Inari, and are typically mild-mannered or unthreatening, due to whom they're serving. Their counterparts, called nogitsune, are the "wild" foxes, sort of free agents, and cause mischief and mayhem, sometimes harmless pranks and sometimes much more serious. If you've ever heard the term foxfire (or, more likely, the internet browser firefox), in japanese it is called kitsune-bi, a globe of white or blue light under the control of a nogitsune, often used to lure travellers to their doom on dark nights. Some say if you can catch a nogitsune's kitsune-bi, it will grant you a wish to get it back.
  
  Kitsune can shapeshift into anything they wish, but most tales have them turning into incredibly attractive men and women (who usually go on to seduce someone) that sometimes have their true nature revealed accidently by way of a shadow or reflection that shows a fox body, or a tail or tails sticking out of their clothing. Kitsune have also been known to be succubi or incubi (female or male form, respectively) - sensual vampires known for stealing life-force through sex with their victims.
  
  The number of tails a kitsune has denotes its age, from one up to nine, which, depending on what account you're reading, means they are 1,000 years old or immortal. When a kitsune has nine tails, the fur is usually white, too.
  
  As far as noteworthy kitsunes go, check out Neil Gaiman's Sandman series for a more recent mention, or do a google search on the name tamano-no-mae.
• Question:-Can I get a tanuki in the USA, if possible, and is it legal?
  I am looking to purchase a tanuki, is it possible to obtain one in the USA, preferably the New England region. If yes, how much is the average price, and is it legal to get one in PA (considering PA's ridiculous exotic pet laws).
  Also, if you don't know what a tanuki is, don't answer. Also, don't answer a part of the question that you don't know, I don't mean to be rude, but I've gotten a lot of vague answers for that very reason on my previous questions.
  
  Answer:-I am pretty certain tanukis aren't available in the US as pets. The only way this may happen is if they are smuggled in as labeled 'normal dogs' and bred in the US. But even that would be illegal.
  
  Apparently they adapt well as pets. However being a wild animal (even if born in captivity) they will not have the traits of a domestic dog (which are bred for living with humans). People can keep them as pets in Asia and Europe.
  They rarely hibernate in captivity although their appetite will decrease in winter and they will be more lethargic.
• Question:-what is the difference between Raccoon dog, Raccoon, and Tanuki?
  
  This is supposed to be TANUKI. But what does it say ? hehehe.
  http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%BF%E3%83%8C%E3%82%AD
  
  Answer:-It seems like Tanuki is the Japanese name for raccoon dog, so they are the same thing, and a raccoon is a bit different
  here's that site you have in English
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanuki
  
  as fro the difference between a raccoon, and a raccoon dog, they look a pretty similar, but not exactly the same
  racccoon dog: http://www.google.com/search?q=raccoon+dog&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&biw=1366&bih=572&prmd=ivns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=pYFmTsmAIIbWiAL2rf2eCg&sqi=2&ved=0CDQQsAQ#hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=raccoon+dog&oq=raccoon+dog&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=8859l9916l0l10278l4l4l0l0l0l0l161l528l1.3l4l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=ce0ca675ce89a4d8&biw=1366&bih=572
  
  raccoon: http://www.google.com/search?q=raccoon&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&prmd=ivns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=dYJmTtqPL6TeiALC0uzQCg&ved=0CDQQsAQ&biw=1366&bih=572
  
  the Tanukis don't have ringtails, and they are a bit fatter :)
• Question:-Can Tanuki Fly in Japanese Mythology?
  In so, what story?
  
  Don't ask why I need to know. It's a bet. :)
  
  And I know they have magical powers, but I need a specific example of them flying. Thanks!
  
  Answer:-No, its a type of raccoon-dog
  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanuki
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Raccoon_Dog
• Question:-Is tanuki jiru available in the us?
  I want to try it.
  
  Answer:-Tanukijiru(たぬき汁）does not mean literally Raccoon soup although it was originally made with its meat centuries ago but for long time now instead of Raccoon, Konnyaku(made of devil's tongue bulb) is used.
  Only if you can get Konnyaku locally, you can make tanuki jiru yourself without much hassle.