Pair of Koma-inu: Guardian Lion-Dogs

Placed at the entrance to shrines and temples in Japan, lion-like guardian figures warded off evil spirits. These lion-dogs are distinguishable by their faces: one looks fierce, mouth closed, while the other seems mid-roar, mouth agape. The idea of guardian-lions likely came to Japan from China via Korea, giving rise to the name <em>koma-inu</em> meaning "Korean dog."