Aug 28, 2015 - 1 min read

Dainari-jinja

Count the dogs at this atmospheric Odawara shrine

By Peter Sidell

Community writer

This guardian dog isn't going to escape from its cage...

... but this one might

Bonsai in front of the main hall

Some of the miniature side shrines, complete with little torii gates

Another tiny side shrine

These lanterns show how old the place is

Unusual seven-sided prayer boards

Miniature komainu abandoned under the main hall

The gate to the main compound

Even the lanterns are home to little dogs

An elaborate carving by one of the halls

And an airborne lion in the eaves

This komainu is on the steps as you walk up from the street

So is this lion, with what looks like a soccer ball under its paw

The entrance from the street

A few minutes' walk from Odawara station, Dainari-jinja is a large, atmospheric shrine, surrounded by trees and notable for its profusion of komainu (guardian lions, dogs and wolves). There's also an interesting row of miniature shrines, like little dolls' houses, complete with miniature komainu, and some attractive carvings by the halls and under their eaves.

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Peter Sidell

By Peter Sidell

Community writer

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Elena Lisina

Elena Lisina 5 years ago

Some of them look like kitsune.

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