シーサー 沖縄
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| A distich of shisa figurines inward the countryside close Naha, Okinawa. |
The
shisa is a cultural artifact that illustrates Okinawa's history every bit the largely independent Ryukyu Kingdom. Said to accept been imported from mainland People's Republic of China inward the 14th century, the shisa is derived from the Chinese lion-dog, as well as serves the same roles: protection from evil, or, to extend the idea: ensuring practiced luck. However, patch the Okinawan
shisa comes, similar the Chinese "foo dog," inward a dandy many varieties, the
shisa is distinctive inward beingness simpler than its Chinese counterpart, without the overwroughtness that tin terminate characterize Chinese lion-dogs, which tin terminate frequently destination upwards having a flattened, globular, goggle-eyed well-nigh amphibian await to them compared amongst
shisa.
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| Shisa costume at Okinawa Airport, Naha. |
Shisa are everywhere inward
Okinawa, typically appearing every bit roof decorations on dwellings, or guarding each side of an entranceway; withal every bit the accompanying pictures show, they likewise crop upwards every bit trip the lite fantastic toe costumes, airdrome decorations, as well as more.
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| Shisa grapheme inward traditional Okinawan dance |
Like the
lions that guard Japanese shrines as well as temples, the shisa come upwards inward pairs, 1 amongst its oral fissure opened upwards (known every bit "ah" inward Japanese) as well as 1 amongst its oral fissure close ("mm").
However, their brick-red coloration, elevation relative to width, as well as the frequently simpler "rough-cut" details of their features, giving them on occasion something of a comical air, laid upwards them apart every bit something that, similar Okinawa, is Japanese simply amongst a difference.
The Okinawa souvenir scene is awash amongst
shisa, from the ceramic authentic to the made-in-China two-a-penny versions, from the genuinely, majestically fearsome to the consciously cutesy.
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