What’s Your Japanese Spirit Animal?

You’re naturally jolly but also take delight in your cunning abilities. A master of shape-shifting, you know how to disguise yourself, whether that’s to fit into a social situation or get that questionably deserved promotion at work. You have a great aura and people find your personality infectious. You have good friends that you trust and love spending time with, but you also crave time alone. Tanuki find travelling exciting, as well as important because it increases your knowledge. You’re a hasty decision-maker and don’t waste any time pulling pranks on anyone that pushes your buttons!

Kitsune are incredibly intelligent, live a very long life and are major pranksters! With a fun and outgoing personality, you get along with most people and are revered for being a faithful guardian, friend and, yes, lover. When you’re angry with someone, your way of getting revenge usually involves pranks. While you love playing the fool and testing people’s nerves, you can also be an incredibly loyal friend. Legend has it that your magical abilities will strengthen with age and wisdom, so keep feeding your cranium!

Why so shy, Hebi? Bet you hear that a lot! Reserved and quiet is stamped on your passport – you are an international creature of intrigue. Even those close to you cannot believe how enshrouded you are in mystery and secrecy. But this is what makes you so magnetic, especially to potential suitors. Your classic party trick is to whip up an excellent martini, say something clever but devastating to a competitor, and then disappear without a trace before the canapés hit the table. You are skilled at business: you can be a slippery character and you do have a venomous side if it means getting your foot up the ladder. Maybe it’s time to get rid of the hair gel and go for a less slick look… and make some real friends.

Jorōgumo are lone warriors who prefer to live solitary lives. You possess a cunning intelligence that makes you an excellent tactician, but you are left with an equally cold heart and see other humans as nothing more than insects to feed on, whether that’s just using them as sources of knowledge… or something far more sinister. You’d rather spend the night in with a glass of wine and a game of chess (you vs. you) than go out raving or even to the pub. Jorōgumo can be skilful deceivers and powerful shape-shifters when they need to get ahead, but, when confronted with genuine compassion and sentiment, can get their mental web in a serious tangle. Remember: letting your guard down with others may actually yield magical results beyond anything a textbook could ever provide.

Inugami are very loyal creatures and you are likely to be very devoted to all the major players in your life, from your best friend to your line manager. You are a team player through and through and are always the first one to click ‘Yes’ to say you’ll attend on company Facebook events. This loyalty will only falter when you’ve been taken advantage of – and this is when you would unleash that black magic that Inugami are infamous for, whether that’s sabotaging an ex-best friend’s date or an act of revenge far more dire. Just remember: the last thing anyone wants is for that black magic to appear, so be cautious with whom you devote your time to. Don’t wear yourself too thin, as yōkai like you are passed down from generation to generation like a family heirloom or a treasured Rolex.