The tanuki, a Japanese species sometimes called a “raccoon dog,” is perhaps best known in the West — if it’s known at all — for appearing in a classic Mario game and being a trickster ...

A tanuki, like this one at the Chapultpec Zoo in Mexico City, is currently the cutest thing on the Internet. ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images/FILE. Story highlights.

Raccoon dog (tanuki) statues in Japan. | Seigo Yamamura/Score by Aflo/Getty Images. In 2004, Kōka absorbed the city of Shigaraki, which in the 12th century was one of Japan’s six kiln cities.

Many tales from Japanese folklore often feature a fascinating character called the tanuki. Depending on the story, this creature might be mistaken for a badger, a fox, or even something akin to a ...

The tanuki is considered a basal species, or one of the species most similar to its ancestors. Thousands of years ago, most dogs probably looked more like the tanuki than your modern domestic pet.