Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Shisa, Shisa, They are Everywhere!

Shisa are Okinawan lion dogs, originating in the time of the time of the Ryukyu. I’ve read various accounts of them – one was originally a gift from a Chinese emissary to a Ryukyu king who used it to save a village from a sea dragon, they ward off evil spirits, they guard and keep good spirits in, etc. Sometimes there are a pair, one with the mouth open and the other with the mouth closed.  They are on roofs and gates and just about everywhere in Okinawa.  Here are a few of the many we saw.
At the police station






In the bathroom at Shuri-jo Castle














Which one is Ted?

1 comment:

Margaret said...

You two must have walked many miles on your holiday. Did you have a pedometer and record your steps? And just for the record I managed to tell which was Ted in the photographs LOL