Shisa
Videos
Shisa is a traditional Ryukyuan cultural artifact and decoration derived from Chinese guardian lions, often seen in similar pairs, resembling a cross between a lion and a dog, from Okinawan mythology.
Tomori shisa
A pair of shisa, one with mouth closed
Shisa in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture
Varieties of shisa (excluding the dragon) at a shop
Ryukyuan religion
Videos
The Ryukyuan religion, Ryūkyū Shintō, Nirai Kanai Shinkō, or Utaki Shinkō is the indigenous belief system of the Ryukyu Islands.
Shisa
…cultural artifact and decoration derived from Chinese guardian lions, often seen in similar pairs, resembling a cross between a lion and a dog, from Okinawan mythology. Shisa are wards, believed to protect from some evils. People place pairs of shisa on their rooftops or flanking the gates to their houses, with the…
Harimizu utaki (Harimizu Shrine), a Ryukyuan shrine in Miyakojima, Okinawa Prefecture.
Asato Hachiman Shrine
A haka, or family tomb, of the turtle-back variety.
A model utaki set up near Motobu in Okinawa.