Description
- Shisa is a traditional Ryukyuan decoration, often in pairs, resembling a cross between a lion and a dog, from Okinawan mythology. People place pairs of shisa on their rooftops or flanking the gates to their houses. Shisa are wards, believed to protect from some evils. When in pairs, the left shisa traditionally has a closed mouth, the right one an open mouth.
- The shisa, like the komainu (lion dogs), are a variation of the guardian lions ("fu dogs") from China. The shisaa, or lion dog, is an Okinawan cultural artifact. In magic typology, they might also be classified as gargoyle beasts. They are traditionally used to ward off evil spirits. When a Chinese emissary returned from a voyage to the court at Shuri Castle, he brought a gift for the king, a necklace decorated with a figurine of a shisa-dog.
- One day, the king was visiting the village, and one of these attacks happened; all the people ran and hid. The local noro had been told in a dream to instruct the king when he visited to stand on the beach and lift up his figurine towards the dragon; she sent the boy, Chiga, to tell him the message.
- He faced the monster with the figurine held high, and immediately a giant roar sounded all through the village, a roar so deep and powerful that it even shook the dragon. A massive boulder then fell from heaven and crushed the dragon's tail. He couldn't move, and eventually died.
- This boulder and the dragon's body became covered with plants and surrounded by trees, and can still be seen today. It is the "Gana-mui Woods" near Naha Ohashi bridge. The townspeople built a large stone shisa to protect it from the dragon's spirit and other threats.
The lamps are constructed with washi which is a kind of handmade paper of good texture, durability and translucence. The word "washi" is composed of "wa" which means "japanese," and "shi" which means "paper". It refers to Japanese paper handmade using traditional methods, derived from the ancient art of papermaking. The washi is achieved with very fine handwork. This paper has been used for centuries in Japanese homes for their ability to filter the light, softening the intensity and creating subdued lighting. The washi is traditionally produced using vegetable fibers from bamboo, hemp, rice, mulberry and other local plants. Since 2014, the washi has been associated in the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. ******** A special first rate, high-quality washi is used. The lamps are completely handmade by Shino Iwamura, from the conceptual drawings to the coloring by hand. LED candle included. To avoid shipping problems, the batteries are not included. The quality of each lamp is absolutely guaranteed! (^_^) WARNING The lamps MUST NOT be used with real candles. DIMENSIONS Height 26 cm / 10.2 inch --- Diameter 12 cm / 4.7 inch ******** I use high quality materials and I guarantee that with my professional means of production, the products will maintain their original quality and design. The greatest satisfaction of doing this job, is knowing that there are people around the world who purchase my products, places that I will probably never visit. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me (^_^)
