 Kitsune are believed to possess superior intelligence , long life , and magical powers . They are a type of yōkai , or spiritual entity , and the word kitsune is often translated as fox spirit . However , this does not mean that kitsune are ghosts , nor that they are fundamentally different from regular foxes . Because the word spirit is used to reflect a state of knowledge or enlightenment , all long @-@ lived foxes gain supernatural abilities . 
 Kitsune are believed to possess superior intelligence , long life , and magical powers . They <a href='drop_aux' title='1'><mark>are</mark></a>a type of yōkai , or spiritual entity , and the word kitsune is often translated as fox spirit . However , this <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>does</mark></a> not mean that kitsune are ghosts , nor that they <a href='drop_aux' title='3'><mark>are</mark></a>fundamentally different from regular foxes . Because the word spirit is used to reflect a state of knowledge or enlightenment , all long @-@ lived foxes gain supernatural abilities . 
Kitsune are believed to possess superior intelligence , long life , and magical powers . They a type of yōkai , or spiritual entity , and the word kitsune is often translated as fox spirit . However , this do not mean that kitsune r ghosts , nor that they fundamentally diff from regular foxes . Because the word spirit is used to reflect a state of knowledge or enlightenment , alll long @-@ lived foxes gain supernatural abilities .