noun
kuda-gitsune; pipe fox; mythical fox spirit kept in a bamboo tube
A fox-like spirit in Japanese folklore, said to be kept inside a bamboo tube and used by its master for divination and curses. The term is primarily encountered in folklore and supernatural contexts.
管狐は、竹筒の中に飼われていると伝えられる妖怪だ。
The kuda-gitsune is a yōkai said to be kept inside a bamboo tube.
昔話では、管狐を使う者は富を得るが、やがて不幸になると言われる。
In old tales, those who use a kuda-gitsune gain wealth but are said to eventually meet misfortune.
noun
A regional or older name for the stoat (Mustela erminea), also known as オコジョ. This usage is less common and may be encountered in dialectal or historical contexts.
See also: オコジョ
地方によっては、オコジョのことを管狐と呼ぶことがある。
In some regions, the stoat is called kuda-gitsune.
オコジョ is the standard modern Japanese word for 'stoat', while 管狐 in that sense is rare and regional.
The name 管狐 literally means 'pipe fox', from 管 (tube) and 狐 (fox), referring to the belief that the spirit is kept in a bamboo tube. The origin of the folk belief is uncertain, but it is associated with traditional practices of spirit possession and divination.