Back home in Australia foxes are considered feral vermin - they skulk around our suburb killing the local wildlife and eating our chickens (if we forget to lock them in their chook house at night)!
But in Japan, especially Kyoto foxes have religious significance - a spirit fox is the Inari Okami's (harvest god) servant and is the go-between the people and Inari Okami. There are lots of fox statues, where the fox is carrying a scroll, keys or rice in its mouth.
At the Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine, there was even a shrine dedicated Japan's Fabulous Mr (Spirit) Fox.
Even fox face biscuits being sold in one of the little shops in the Shrine grounds...
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