Tobias Blackwood doesn't believe the ancient legends of kitsune, the shape-shifting foxes of Japan. He scarcely believes in himself despite a passion for Japanese culture that inspired a journey to Kyoto to teach English. Then Tobias meets Matsuri, a kitsune who believes in him, and discovers a dangerous world of monsters, deities and demons that dwell in the shadows beyond Japan's yawning torii gates. Kitsune Matsuri is Tobias' story, born from a lifelong love of Japanese culture and history, a journey of twenty-five years and five-thousand miles. Kitsune themselves are mythological foxes found in Japanese tales and associated as messengers of Inari, god of rice and prosperity. Taking human form, they often use their magic to both create mischief and help those in need. The story of a fox who can transform into a beautiful girl is one very familiar to Japanese legends and has been used in countless anime, manga and ancient tales. There are modern novels inspired by the subject, such as The Fox Woman by Kij Johnson.