Short answers, pulled from the story.
Coenraad Jacob Temminck first described the Japanese raccoon dog during the 1820s. He based his description on specimens sent from Japan by Philipp Franz von Siebold.
The species received its scientific name Nyctereutes viverrinus in the publication Fauna Japonica which appeared between 1842 and 1845. Some taxonomic authorities still regard this animal as a subspecies of the common raccoon dog rather than a separate entity.
Individuals live between seven and eight years in the wild environment while captive specimens have reached an age of thirteen years under human care. Their curved claws allow them to climb trees effectively while searching for food sources.
The IUCN lists the raccoon dog at least concern status due to wide distribution across Japan and abundant populations including introduced groups throughout northeastern Europe. Vehicle collisions cause up to 370,000 deaths annually according to conservative estimates reflecting significant mortality rates caused by modern infrastructure development.
In two months of spring there are tanuki in the country of Mutsu that turn into humans and sing songs within the chapter about Empress Suiko written during the Nara period. The document uses characters that signify tanuki rather than mujina creatures.
Mario wears a Tanooki Suit in Nintendo video games allowing him to fly and transform. He becomes an Ojizō-sama statue much like a bake-danuki using leaves for transformation power.