When I saw Komainu for the first time, I smiled as I found them funny. I called them “lions,” but my friend told me they were dogs. The word "Inu" means "dog" in Japanese language. I was interested in them and learned a bit of their history. Sando Komainu (visiting road) guarding the entrance or the inner shrine firstly appeared in the Edo era. Meant to ward off evil spirits, Komainu statues are almost identical, but one has an open mouth and the other closed. This represents the beginning and the end of all things. Some Komainu can be also found inside shrines. All of them are different and I really like them, maybe because I was born in the Year of the Dog – Inu desu!
- 1 min read
Komainu Lion-like Statues
Guarding the entrance of many Shinto jinja

By Elena Lisina
Community writer

Komainu in Kyoto (Photo: Shiroi Tenshi)

The pair komainu, Kyoto (Photo: Shiroi Tenshi)

The one with open mouth means "Beginning." Kamakura Komainu. (Photo: Shiroi Tenshi)

Another with closed mouth means "End." Kamakura. (Photo: Shiroi Tenshi)

Asakusa, Tokyo (Photo: Shiroi Tenshi)

The second of Asakusa komainu (Photo: Shiroi Tenshi)

This old komainu is used like decoration in Kairakuen (Japanese garden), Tokyo (Photo: Shiroi Tenshi)

Komainu guarding Itsukushima jinja of Miyajima (Photo: Shiroi Tenshi)

Mijajima komainu #1 (Photo: Shiroi Tenshi)

Mijajima komainu # 2 (Photo: Shiroi Tenshi)

Komainu of Naritasan (Photo: Shiroi Tenshi)

One more komainu of Naritasan, Tokyo (Photo: Shiroi Tenshi)

Unusual old komainu in Nikko (Photo: Shiroi Tenshi)

Colored komainu of Nikko (Photo: Shiroi Tenshi)

The pair komainu to previous one, Nikko (Photo: Shiroi Tenshi)

Cute komainu of Sumiyoshi Taisha, Osaka (Photo: Shiroi Tenshi)

Sumiyoshi's second one (Photo: Shiroi Tenshi)

Suwa Taisha's komainu, Nagano (Photo: Shiroi Tenshi)

Old komainu of one of Suwa jinja (Photo: Shiroi Tenshi)

Komainu of Takaosan jinja (Photo: Shiroi Tenshi)

Komainu don't sleep at night! Tokyo (Photo: Shiroi Tenshi)

Komainu of Ueno, Tokyo (Photo: Shiroi Tenshi)

Very curly komainu of Asakusa, Tokyo (Photo: Shiroi Tenshi)
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