Shisa - Okinawan Lion-Dog Statues

in Pinmapple3 years ago

On my recent visit in Okinawa I came across Shisa.
Shisa are guardians of houses in Okinawa and have become widely known as a symbol of Okinawa.

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Shisa come in many shapes, colors and designs, they express the characteristics of each piece of land.

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I enjoyed finding many different Shisa statues as I traveled around Okinawa. These particular colorful statues are to be found in Nago Pineapple Park.

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These statues are very colorful and playful so children can enjoy them when visiting here.
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While enjoying the beauty of the park and following the aerial footpath, I was finding Shisa statues some hidden and some well visible almost everywhere.

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Unlike the Nago Pineapple Park, where every Shisa statue stands alone, there usually are two statues guarding a house. One statue has slightly opened mouth saying "Shi" and the other statue has widely opened mouth saying "Sa". They always stand or sit at the entrance of a house, restaurant, or another building.

Shisa statue saying "Shi".
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Shisa statue saying "Sa".
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If you find these photos useful, please feel free to use them. They all are my original photos.

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