If you look closely at the copper front gate of Yushima Tenjin, you can see small guardian dogs attached to it
The Torii gate in front of Yushima Tenjin is made of copper. Unlike wooden or stone gates, the heavy, shiny Torii gives off a sense of dignity and are suitable for decorating the front entrance of a historic Shinto shrine.
I took a closer look at the torii from above. Between the Shimaki with a warped Kasaki and the pierced wood, there was a plaque that said "Tenmangu Shrine" on it. The pillars supporting it were slightly tilted inward. At a quick glance, it looked like a so-called Myojin Torii, but to be precise, it was a Daiwa Torii with a ring called "Daiwa" attached to the joint between the Shimaki and the pillar.
The pillar extending down from the pier is simple. However, the closer you get to the Daiishi, the more you will see something different. The lower part of the pillar, known as the waraza, is decorated with patterns, and if you look closely, you can see a small animal. It looks like a guardian dog. I didn't know there were guardian dogs here. I've been to Yushima Tenjin here in Yushima many times, but this may have been the first time I took a closer look at the torii gate itself.
Although there are many worshippers, few people would have noticed the guardian dogs secretly standing here. The wide-eyed guardian dogs seemed to be doing their job of inspecting the people passing through the torii gate without being noticed.
| May 2021 STILL LIFE TOKYO | |
| GUARDIAN DOG SHRINE TORII YUSHIMA |
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PHOTO DATA
No
11916
Shooting Date
Sep 2020
Posted On
May 24, 2021
Modified On
August 22, 2023
Place
Yushima, Tokyo
Genre
Still Life Photography
Camera
SONY ALPHA 7R II
Lens
ZEISS BATIS 2/40 CF
