About foxes and fox masks

If you have an interest in Japanese folklore and festivals, or happen to enjoy things like J-pop, anime and manga, then you've probably seen fox masks before. You may have seen them worn by the members of the kawaii metal band Babymetal, and appearing in manga and anime such as Naruto and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, or perhaps you saw them worn by participants in a Fox Wedding procession.

According to Japanese folklore, foxes have the ability to change their appearance and sometimes appear as humans. At times, they can turn evil, like the wicked nine-tailed fox demoness, Tamamo-no-Mae, who was recently in the news when the Killing Stone where she was entombed split open last month.

In the Shinto religion, white foxes are also believed to be messengers of 稲荷大神 Inari Ōkami, kami of foxes, fertility, rice, tea and sake, of agriculture and industry, of general prosperity and worldly success.

As a result, fox masks are not only visually appealing, but they also have ties to various Japanese folklore and religious beliefs.

Komendo: Fox masks from all over Japan

If you're inspired to buy a fox mask, we recommend visiting Komendo, a literal online emporium of fox masks. In addition to a wide selection of charming original masks in a variety of styles and designs, they also have an impressive collection of masks made by manufacturers from all over Japan.

If you have the impression that fox masks look alike, you're in for quite a surprise when you visit Komendo. Of course, they also have more classic designs, which you'll see further below, but we also found some more unusual designs among their originals.

Some of the more unusual masks we found

For example, since the Nine-Tailed Fox was recently in the news, here is Komendo's 九尾 Kyūbi (Nine Tails), made in 羽二重張り habutaebari, a traditional Japanese papier-mâché technique featuring a total of 12 layers of washi paper.

Another unusual design that caught our attention was 狐面「染流紋　仙花」Senryūmon: Senka (Otherworldly Flower):

As an example of the fox masks you can purchase from other manufacturers, here is a fox mask made by the 柿田勝郎面工房 Kakita Katsuro Mask Workshop in Shimane Prefecture, used in the 石見神楽 Iwami Kagura, a Shinto ceremonial dance. This mask is identified as 悪狐（白狐　金毛　旧型）Evil Fox (White Fox, Gold Hair, Old Style):

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Interview with Komendo store-master Minoru Taguchi

Komendo's founder and store-master, 田口稔 Minoru Taguchi, was kind enough to answer a few of our questions.

Q: How long has Komendo been in business and how did you get started?

A: Komendo was founded back in 2012. This June will be our 10th anniversary. At the time, I had just left a full-time job with plans to become independent. I originally started collecting fox masks as a hobby and wanted to collect different kinds. However, I realized that there was no website that sold fox masks from all over Japan. That's when I decided to start my own business. Since I wanted more and more varieties, we started selling our own original fox masks as well.

Q: Are you personally involved in making your original masks?

A: Our original fox masks are made by 株式会社一千乃 Ichino Co., Ltd.. They're located in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, an area famous for papier-mâché Daruma dolls. Ichino used to exclusively make Daruma dolls but now they make a variety of papier-mâché objects.

Q: What are your five most popular masks?

A: The top five most popular types are as follows:

The most popular is the Suzune fox mask. It is a classic fox mask design and seems to be in high demand.

Q: You sell not only full masks but upper and lower half-masks. Are these also traditional? Can you tell us how these different kinds of masks can be used?

A: Half masks aren't very traditional. As far as I know, masks shaped like that started to be made in the last 10 years or so. If you cover your entire face, your vision will be limited. So, if you want a wider field of vision, I recommend a lower half mask. If you want to talk while wearing your mask, an upper half mask might be more suitable. These are the advantages, but I think you should choose your mask according to your personal preferences and the look that you like.

Q: What is the percentage of customers from overseas? Is it increasing?

A: It's about 1% of all orders. There hasn't been an increase nor has there been a decrease lately. In the last two years, however, the pandemic has prevented us from shipping to some countries even though customers wanted to order from us.

Q: Fox masks often appear in manga and anime. How do you feel about this?

A: Manga and anime originally influenced my own love of fox masks and of masks in general. Even now, fox masks continue to appear in manga and anime. If more and more people come to like fox masks as a result, I couldn't be happier.

Q: With their connection to Inari Ōkami, fox masks have something mysterious about them. Are there special manners or taboos when handling and wearing fox masks?

A: There are no special manners or taboos. Fox masks are mysterious but they're also things you can hold in your hands. We hope that everyone will appreciate this dual nature of fox masks and enjoy them fully as they see fit...That said, you should be careful not to bump into people around you because your vision may be more limited when you wear them.

Q: What is the charm of fox masks for you?

I think you can say this about all masks, not just fox masks, but one of their charms is that wearing them allows you to become something other than yourself or borrow some of that something's power. The charm of fox masks, then, is that you come into communion with the fox (the animal), the messenger of Inari Ōkami, and the mask's specific design, all three of which "reside in you" when you wear it.

As Mr. Taguchi mentioned, some countries don't currently allow international shipments, but if you live in a country that does or currently reside in Japan, why not take a look at the amazing selection of fox masks available at Komendo and buy one that suits your fancy?

Whether you plan to hang your mask on a wall or display it on a shelf, use it for cosplay, or just wear one on a special occasion, you'll surely find what you're looking for at Komendo.