 Inuyashas distinctive red clothing is said to be woven from the fur  of the fire rat. This garment is one of the treasures sought in the  Taketori Monogatari (The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter), a popular  Japanese folktale from the 10th century. The connection is made more  explicit in the second movie, "The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass,"  which makes many references to the Taketori Monogatari and even  quotes from it directly.