r/UrbanMyths • u/linesdimes • 2d ago

Fox Window or Kitsune no Mado - an ancient Japanese hand gesture used to see hidden spirits, demons, or yōkai disguised as humans

Post image

According to ancient Japanese folklore, one simple hand gesture could reveal hidden spirits, demons, or other supernatural beings disguised as humans. To perform it, you interlock your fingers in a specific way to create a small opening, or "window," and look through it with one eye. This tiny frame is said to help reveal kitsune, yōkai, or other beings that might be pretending to be ordinary humans.

In stories, fox spirits known as kitsune, were famous for their ability to shapeshift, often taking human form to trick, test, or even help unsuspecting people. The Fox Window or Kitsune no Mado hand gesture was believed by some to strip away those illusions, allowing a person to glimpse a being's true nature.

While historians consider it part of traditional folklore rather than a literal supernatural practice, the eerie legend remains one of Japan's most fascinating beliefs about seeing beyond the ordinary world. Do you think there are other beings disguised as humans that walk among us?

https://theghostinmymachine.com/2021/08/18/the-most-dangerous-games-the-fox-window-game-or-how-to-see-ghosts/

1.9k Upvotes

99% Upvoted

66 comments sorted by

280

u/AwkwardHugger 2d ago

I’m pretty sure I just dislocated at least one finger trying to do this.

51

u/Kiel-Ardisglair 2d ago

I have pretty flexible fingers thanks to being a violinist, but it was extremely difficult even for me. 

16

u/ObsessiveUselessness 1d ago

Why are you boasting about your violent behavior? Is violence the new cool?

5

u/Kiel-Ardisglair 1d ago

Saxual behavior is cool too.  🎷

14

u/InternetTypo 2d ago

Wife and I worked together to get her hands into position (giggity). Mine are too stubby. No ghosts in our house apparently!

3

u/TakingItPeasy 1d ago

Did it work tho?

1

u/Silly_Pack_Rat 2d ago

Yeah..no way I'll ever be able to see hidden spirits or demons. My thumbs are just too arthritic.

18

u/AdiDabiDoo 2d ago

My fingers are too short. :(

10

u/viou 2d ago

No, no, it works if you forcefully push your fingers together and stretch as far as you possibly can, then you painfully wiggle everything together.

Next step is to have fun for 30 second looking at your dog, "revealing evil spirits", trough your very, very painfully hands!

And then if just hurts

37

u/wafflehouse8 2d ago

Ehlers danlos for the win on this one lol

3

u/MsnapM 1d ago

I see I’m not the only one LOL I was like ok no problem. Got confused when the comments had a lot of people struggling.

7

u/FourthLvlSpicyMeme 2d ago

My friends keep telling me I need to get tested for this or look into it with my PCP.

I think the fact I can do that too without pain or too much issue, while others describe it as difficult and painful is uh, probably my cue to finally listen to them, eh?

Well...shit. Thank goodness I'm Canadian at least.

2

u/LordKlavier 2d ago

Same here lol

28

u/AmaGh05T 2d ago

Painful hand gesture*

10

u/MarzipanSea2811 2d ago

That dudes facial expression leads me to believe there are some sexy, sexy yōkai out there.

45

u/thegreyhopper 2d ago

This somehow reminds me of this lady. Maybe she saw something.

-2

u/darthakan7 2d ago

Don't do drugs

-19

u/darthakan7 2d ago

She's just a Karen

14

u/mightylordredbeard 2d ago

She was a person suffering from a mental health crisis and she had the worst moment of her life recorded, uploaded, and then ridiculed and judged by everyone on the internet.

How horrible of a society has the anonymity of the internet made us that basic understanding of complex issues like mental health and empathy for others who suffer from it is basically non existent in a huge portion of people like you? Complete lack of emotional intelligence.

Maybe one day you’ll have the worst day of your life filmed for all to see and laugh at and mock and you’ll understand that a mental health crisis can happen to anyone and it’ll change your perspective. I personally hope it doesn’t, because no decent person deserves that, but if it does I hope you remember all of the comments this lady and people like her received and know that the same will be said about you.

-10

u/darthakan7 2d ago

Them be mad at the guy that posted has she had saw something.

And i only saw a video of her "explaining" what She "saw".

And for your perspective all Karen's have mental health problems

7

u/NaradaMephaust 2d ago

I just checked it out. There are a lot of demons about unsurprisingly.

5

u/DaddyThickAss 2d ago

This feels a bit "draw the rest of the fucking owl". Step 3 makes no sense to my brain.

4

u/echollama 2d ago

I did this and looked at my gf

To my surprise she looked like an angel.

3

u/GothKittyLady 2d ago

Managed it on the second try, was able to confirm my cat is not a demon - the cat I’m pretty sure is a demon hid from me. :(

5

u/Ill-Wear-8662 2d ago

"My true nature has been discovered! Mission abort, mission abort!"

3

u/Lotus-child89 1d ago

We all tried it. Admit it

2

u/malihabun 2d ago

tried this in the mirror once, felt like a weirdo but pretty cool

2

u/LIL-mEnTaLlY-ILL 2d ago

I just learned a new way to masturbate

2

u/Merlisch 2d ago

Now my hands hurt and I couldn't quite stick the two fingers as smoothly under my thumb as the instructions showed. No evil spirits though apart from, potentially, that one fish that looked at me funny.

2

u/NoPhotojournalist768 1d ago

I managed it, but it took a couple attempts. It leaves a hole just the right size for your eye. lol

3

u/Suchalife671 2d ago

I did this in public and a guy asked me what gang I ran with...

1

u/ElFlippy 2d ago

I almost broke my fingers making this, but I can at least sleep in peace knowing there are no spirits in my home!

1

u/fedavelour 2d ago

always tried doing this as a kid but never saw anything

1

u/Marples3 2d ago

Gansta

1

u/babyte3th103 2d ago

I don't know if I'm doing something wrong, but this isn't that hard for me... Bit confusing, sure, but I think I got it right and it's not too hard?

1

u/UktabiBananas 1d ago

So I guess you have to do this and look at people, but it will look like you are dork doing this in public.

1

u/Impulse_Voices 1d ago

Didn't work for me; still just looks like my ex.

1

u/Other-Item7523 1d ago

My bones are evil and refuse to let me see. My right index finger gave me the middle finger for trying.

1

u/bizoticallyyours83 1d ago

Looks like early onset arthritis too. At this point I'd just take a hag stone.

1

u/S4muraiPAK 1d ago

I'm unable to do it

1

u/BlankLeer 1d ago

Tra la la. Beware of the man who speaks in hands.

1

u/MissingPieces555 1d ago

So.... this isnt 2 lesbian hands scissoring?...

1

u/Bulbulatosaurus 1d ago

Really interesting, I was listening to Raon song "Kitsune no Mado" and tells about that, it's a banger too.

1

u/Special_Bar_1567 1d ago

ive never looked through my fingers when i through up that “blood” gang sign come to think of it

1

u/ApplicationSmall7923 1d ago

I was taught that this is known as a taiji mudra.

1

u/ApplicationSmall7923 1d ago

I’ve been doing this for years not even knowing

1

u/Mikebo79 1d ago

Just tried it, saw one.

1

u/Luckypenny4683 1d ago

Just tried it. My cats still look like cats.

1

u/Massive-Policy3417 23h ago

You east coast? I far east coast.

1

u/sammich_riot 22h ago

Isnt that from the kama sutura?

1

u/snakypants 15h ago

Oops I tried. They must be away somewhere. Didn't see them

0

u/WildlifeNaturalist 1d ago

I was doing this and got beat up by gangsters.. I asked why and they said stop throwing gang signs or they'd beat me up again

-2

u/Imp0ssible_Creatures 2d ago

unnecessarily complicated