Tokutaro and the Foxes of Maki Moor

Map of Modern Day Nagano, Japan

Tokutaro and the Foxes of Maki Moor
A famous Japanese story reimagined by Joshua Linvers

Nearly 400 years ago today, in the lands between the modern-day cities of Ueda and Azumino (just south of Nagano city) a carpenter named Tokutaro was invited to an celebratory banquet being held by a then flourishing sake brewing family. Tokutaro had a reputation of being a rather serious and blunt fellow, he didn’t have much of a mind for jokes or fairy tales. Unfortunately for him, throughout the night, as more and more sake was consumed, the topic of conversation always returned to foxes and their wicked, mystical powers.  The party’s attendees were all busy sharing their first and secondhand experiences.

Tokutaro chimed into the conversation, debating his fellow guest’s sanity. The conversation became heated when Tokutaro called everyone present superstitious idiots. In retort, the group shunned him as being ignorant and inexperienced in life. Tokutaro, now with everyone in the room against him, said he’ll wager 5 barrels of sake that he can spend a weekend alone in the wild marshlands of Maki without any issue involving foxes.
(1 Barrel of sake would cost about a month’s salary for Tokutaro, they’re about 18L each.)

The others in the room said that since he’s so confident, why not throw in a weeks’ worth of fish as well (1000 copper coins). If he should be tricked by a fox, he would pay the group this sum. Tokutaro scoffed, and confidently said he would start his outing at sunrise tomorrow. He returned home, organized his supplies and half drunkenly fell asleep.

The following morning, as Tokutaro strolled along a trail through the shady lowlands of Southern Nagano he suddenly heard a snapping branch in the tall rush grass to his left. Frozen in place and concentrating on potential out of sight danger, he loosely gripped his knife and stared into the greenery. He began his approach towards it when a quick brown fox darted out from the grass and ran across the trail into the dense thicket of bamboo to his right.

He exhaled, smiled, of course he’ll see foxes he reminded himself. As Tokutaro resumed his walk, from the very same thicket the fox ran into, he heard a terrified shriek from a young woman. As Tokutaro ran into the bushes to investigate, he saw a woman wearing light travelling gear.

Oi! Daijoubu ka?

Yes, I’m fine thanks, she replied. A fox just ran past me, it startled me, that’s all. He recognized her as a very important person, the eldest daughter of the lord of Azumino, and if he recalled correctly, she was also the wife to the lord of Maki, whose land he was currently travelling through. “What were you doing in such dense bamboo?” Tokutaro inquired. She replied that she was on her way to Azumino but tried an unfamiliar shortcut and got a bit lost.

Suspicious of her answer, the timing with the fox, and the certainty of the many fellows betting against him, Tokutaro entertained the idea that perhaps there is such a thing as a fox who can take a human form and was determined to find out what’s really going on. He kept his thoughts to himself and offered to accompany her to the outskirts of Azumino, which she happily accepted.

While the two walked along the moor, Tokutaro kept a close eye on her, looking for a tail, or fangs as she talked, whiskers, etc. but ultimately noticed nothing. It’s a convincing disguise he thought.

As they got closer to Azumino, she mentioned that her parents have a summer cottage just around the hill, and that she would like to pop in and say hello. Tokutaro thought this area was a rather strange choice for a wealthy family to build a summer home, but he cautiously agreed to join her, expecting her to ambush him in the coming minutes, he kept his knife in hand, concealed in his sleeve.

Step after step, the magnificent estate came into view. Surprised it was actually there, Tokutaro thought of a plan. This family, much wealthier and more powerful than anyone he usually has the pleasure of coming across, would surely be glad to know that they’re being plagued by a devilish fox. If he could prove this to them, he would surely win a lot of favor and of course be handsomely rewarded.

The daughter announced their arrival, and the mother ran out with a few of her servants “Oh Dear! You’ve arrived so suddenly; I hope nothing’s wrong!”

After briefly watching this reunion, Tokutaro excused himself and snuck around to the back of the house. He knocked on the door and quietly asked the servants to speak to the father.

When Tokutaro was granted an audience, Tokutaro explained that he was certain his daughter is a transformed fox and that for one reason or another she came here to do evil things. Furling his brow, the father summoned his wife and discussed the matter with her. “Do you think I’m so stupid to not recognize my own child?” She snapped. As the parents were in the middle of their debate, they were interrupted by Tokutaro.

“Everyone in Ueda speaks of the foxes of Maki moor and their trickery, I know what I saw, this is not your daughter, no matter how much it resembles her, I guarantee it.

Tokutaro’s reputation of being a serious and honest man combined with his now panicked determination in this matter convinced the parents to trust him.

“What do you suggest we do?” said the mother

Tokutaro replied that it would be safer for everyone if they could call the servants outside and ask them to wait until he was finished. He recommended the parents to hide in the storeroom and leave the matter to him. “I will strip this fox from its false skin and show you this beast in its true form.” Tokutaro said.

As the daughter sat alone in the living room next to the sunken hearth and kettle, Tokutaro approached her from across the room. She smiled towards him and raised a cup of tea in gratitude for travelling alongside her.

Tokutaro slapped the teacup out of her hands and punched her hard in the face. She fell backwards in shock, she tried to scream for help, but not much sound carried through her voice. The now sinister looking Tokutaro laughed, explaining that he knew her tricks, he beckoned her to transform back to her real form. She found her breath and began to scream for her parents. Tokutaro lunged forward, grabbed her by the nape of her neck and slammed her face into the wooden floor. She groaned, dizzy and now barely conscious “Tokutaro… why”

“What’s the matter fox, come out! Your time is up!”

He tore open her robes, grabbed the steaming kettle off the hearth and placed it on her bare chest, searing her skin. She screamed until Tokutaro stabbed her in the neck. Tokutaro began peeling the skin from her breasts with his knife. As her parents cautiously entered the room, Tokutaro with his blood covered hands stared at them in hysteria.

The father tackled Tokutaro from his daughter’s corpse.
“nonononono just wait! She’s going to turn back! Just wait!”

What have you done!? He struck Tokutaro in the face. What have you done!? Grabbing him by the collar and banging his chest against the floor. You’ve murdered our daughter! In our own house!? He hit him again. “In front of our eyes!”, he hit him again. “We trusted you!” the father broke down into tears and was pulled off by his servants.

Tokutaro was in shock, staring at the result of the obviously evil act he had just committed. “We will inform the village of Maki, they will have your head for this” the mother sneered. Tokutaro’s mind went blank, the servants dragged him out of the house and bound him by rope to a pillar for horses. Just as the messenger to Maki was preparing for his departure, who should arrive but the head priest of the Anrakuji temple of Azumino and his entourage.

This old priest came to ask the family for a moments rest from the sun and was surprised to learn that a murder had taken place not an hour before his arrival. He looked upon Tokutaro with pity, whose mind was still swelling with the realization of his actions. The priest went inside to counsel the family, speak blessings, and conduct funeral rights for their daughter.

After his prayers, the priest told the parents that despite their sadness and anger, killing Tokutaro would not bring their daughter back to life. Tokutaro could still very well live a long life in service to god, and that if he spent his years in repentance, it would be for the greater good. He convinced them that by no means will his life be easy, and for some, that punishment is worse than a quick death.

The parents were convinced by the priest that this was the best course of action and accepted his offer to undertake Tokutaro as a monk. While the priest was explaining the situation to Tokutaro, the teary eyed and snot drivelling man graciously accepted his fate and asked to have his head shaved.  He was untied from the pillar and told to kneel in the dirt with his head down.

The old priest took Tokutaro’s knife and ceremonially shaved the first few strokes of hair from Tokutaro’s head. The priest left the rest of the task to his subordinate monks. When the job was done, laughter erupted from all the onlookers.

A confused Tokutaro raised his head to see he was surrounded by foxes. Some resting on the trunks of fallen trees, others running circles around him. There was no house, no monks, no grieving parents, and no corpse. Knife in hand, Tokutaro was merely kneeling in a shaded area of fallen trees. He dropped the knife and felt around his bald and slightly bleeding head, screaming in confusion. The foxes continued to laugh as they scattered in all directions.

After his return to Ueda, Tokutaro with his heart sunken and mental strength destroyed. He paid his dues for the lost bet and lived out the rest of his years as a wandering monk.

*While I was researching the lands this story takes place in, I found a very cool map of Shinano (the old provincial name for Nagano) hosted by the University of Manchester. This map was commissioned by the Tokugawa Shogunate back in the 1600s. Worth checking out! Link here!