A tanuki statue / Japanese raccoon dog. Takayama, Gifu Prefecture, Japan.

Honored in a stylized statue, this tanuki, or Japanese raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus) is a subspecies of Asian raccoon dog, in the canid family. In Japanese folklore, the legendary tanuki is reputed to be mischievous and jolly, a master of disguise and shapeshifting, but somewhat gullible and absentminded. The tanuki is a common theme in Japanese art and statuary. "Tanuki" is often mistakenly translated into English as "badger" or "raccoon" (as used in the US version of the movie Pom Poko and outlined in Tom Robbins' book Villa Incognito), two unrelated types of animals with superficially similar appearances. The city of Takayama ("tall mountain") lies in the heart of the Japan Alps, in the Hida region of Gifu Prefecture. Commonly differentiated as Hida-Takayama, city has the largest geographic area of any municipality in Japan.

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Filename: 1810JPN-1907.jpg
Copyright: © Tom Dempsey / PhotoSeek.com
Image Size: 2198x3232 / 2.4MB; http://www.photoseek.com/; Animalia Art Work Honshu Japan PhotoBest animal art funny humor love
Contained in galleries: JAPAN favorites, 2018 Oct 10-Nov8: JAPAN all, Japan Alps: Shirakawago, Ogimachi, Takayama, Highlights 2018

Honored in a stylized statue, this tanuki, or Japanese raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides viverrinus) is a subspecies of Asian raccoon dog, in the canid family. In Japanese folklore, the legendary tanuki is reputed to be mischievous and jolly, a master of disguise and shapeshifting, but somewhat gullible and absentminded. The tanuki is a common theme in Japanese art and statuary. "Tanuki" is often mistakenly translated into English as "badger" or "raccoon" (as used in the US version of the movie Pom Poko and outlined in Tom Robbins' book Villa Incognito), two unrelated types of animals with superficially similar appearances. The city of Takayama ("tall mountain") lies in the heart of the Japan Alps, in the Hida region of Gifu Prefecture. Commonly differentiated as Hida-Takayama, city has the largest geographic area of any municipality in Japan.