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Let‘s see if I can explain. In Japanese folklore foxes come in 2 variants. The white fox is a helper; the black fox is a trickster of dubious morals.
The tanuki is neither a raccoon nor dog but a *raccoon dog*. Picture posted above is a tanuki. Family name is Nyctereutes & only two variants survive: common raccoon dog & Japanese raccoon dog.
Are more closely related to raccoons & of nondog behavior: they hibernate & climb trees.
Adorable!