Shiisa

One day, sometime in the beginning of January this year, Ben and I had wandered into a building in Nago having been attracted by the blare of Okinawan music. Inside we met Tenko chan, a friend who had been introduced to us by Eri. We had not known that Tenko chan worked there. It turned out to be a souvenir shop/ceramics workshop/clay studio where one could make ones own pot or clay shiisas. This random visit left a lasting impression and ever since that time, I wanted to possess a shiisa made by myself, and 3000 yen was a price I was willing to pay for that experience. :)

Shiisa, a ubiquitous symbol in Okinawa, is a guardian lion usually placed on the middle of the sloping tiled roofs to ward off evil spirits from sneaking into the house. They were introduced to Okinawa in the 14th century from China. During that time, they were placed at the gates of temples and shrines and in tombs and coffins of aristocratic families. Now that most buildings are flat roofed, shiisas are placed at both sides of the entrance to the house. One shiisa usually has an open mouth and the other a closed one. Different myths exist about this, some say that the open-mouthed shiisa is male as it is roaring, while the female has less power and therefore, keeps her mouth shut. On the other hand, another myth states that the closed-mouth is male as it is guarding the families fortune in its mouth. (well, at least this is what wikipedia says...)

Nonetheless, Shiisas can be found in any obscure nook and cranny of Okinawa. They are a popular souvenir as well. From T-shirts to pendants, you can get them on anything and in many varied forms. But the coolest still is to make a clay one of your own! Here is what I made:


These are the end products of a fun-filled Saturday afternoon.... Ben's Mer-shiisa, Dave's shiisa and then mine:

Above: Tenko-chan instructing us.

Right Above: Me and my endless detailing

Right: the three pupils with their teacher