Japanese mythology includes a vast number of gods, goddesses, and spirits. Most of the stories concern the creation of the world, the foundation of the islands of Japan, and the activities of deities, humans, animals, spirits, and magical creatures...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The Shishi is a funny-looking being - something like a dog wanting to be a lion. The origins of the shishi character are in China. Shishi dogs are the equivalent of the Chinese foo dogs. Shishi were posted right and left of temple and house entrances as guardians against evil spirits. They can also be found on roofs but were often seen in pairs.
According to legend, the shishi would throw cubs off of cliffs in order to test their strength. Despite this instance of callous disregard for their cub's health, parents were very protective of their young.
