Kitsune is a Japanese word for fox or fox spirit. Kitsune are very common in Japanese forklore. They are intelligent and possess magical abilities. They may shapeshift into humans.

There are two common kitsune:

The Zenko are benevolent, celestial foxes associated with Inari. The Inari' s foxes are white furred.

The Yako tend to be mischievous or even malicious. They like to trick men and possess women

In ancient Japan they were close to humans and would live with them. Kitsune have become closely associated with Inari(Fox Gods), Shinto Kami(Religios Gods) or spirit, and serve as its messengers.

The more tails a kitsune has the older, wiser, and more powerful it is. When the fox spirit gets nine tails(the limit) it's fur either turn white or gold.
They become Kyubi no kitsune, translated to nine-tailed fox. They gain the abilities to see and hear anything happening anywhere in the world. Because of their potential power and influence, some people make offerings to them as to a deity.

I think kitsune are my favorite yokai.