The guardian dogs sitting at Ichogaoka Hachiman Jinja were looking upward with wide-open eyes

Ichogaoka Hachiman Jinja's guardian dogs with eyes wide open
Guarding dog at Ichogaoka Hachiman Jinja
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A small shrine stands near Asakusabashi Station. It is a modest shrine called Ichogaoka Hachiman Jinja, which sits quietly behind the downtown area. Although it has a small presence, according to a legend, it was founded a long time ago. It was built in 1062 during the middle of the Heian period (794-1185) and boasts a history of more than 1,000 years. I am not sure if this long history is a historical fact or not. But I guess it is true that the shrine has been popular among the locals for a long time.

After passing through the torii gate, I immediately saw Komainu (guardian dogs) sitting on both sides. Every Shinto shrine has komainu, but they vary in appearance. The Komainu here are wide-eyed and staring slightly upward. They look as if they are thinking and are not in their right mind, or as if they are on the verge of losing their senses. The Komainu may also be suffering from divine energy if they continue to stay in the sacred space.

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日本語
Aug 2017 STILL LIFE TOKYO

PHOTO DATA

No

10241

Shooting Date

Jan 2017

Posted On

August 9, 2017

Modified On

July 10, 2024

Place

Asakusabashi, Tokyo

Genre

Still Life Photography

Camera

SONY ALPHA 7R II

Lens

SONNAR T* FE 55MM F1.8 ZA

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