Guardian deities, Kyoto ceramic tiles

If you have a chance to visit Kyoto, be sure to look closely at the roofs of private houses, temples and shrines. On many roofs you will see the Chinese guardian deity Shōki (Zhong Kui in Chinese) placed there to ward off evil spirits. Shōki is a small guardian deity familiar to the people of Kyoto, and of course, these pieces are also made using the same material and techniques as Kyoto ceramic tiles.