Komainu

Komainu translates as “Korean Dog”- with Koma being the name for the ancient Korean kingdom of Koguryo, but many in Japan say that really it just means “foreign” suggesting obviously a Chinese source, however some of the earliest examples of komainu are found at a shrine in Izumo, a region that has very strong ties with the Korean peninsula, so it is quite possible that, like Buddhism itself, Korea was the original source, however elements within Japan continue to downplay that possibility.

There is a very obvious connection between Komainu and the Chinese Guardian Lions, often erroneously called Foo Dogs in English, and the original source of these is probably India or even points west, possibly even Egypt. Interestingly a few African lion statues have made an appearance at shrines recently. Like the fierce Nio statues found at many temples, and like the fox statues found at Inari shrines, the function of komainu is to protect the site by keeping evil at bay.

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