DAY 16 - #KOMAINU 🦁🐶 (#kappapril) Also know as Japanese #liondogs #guardians, they originated in China. They ward the entrance of the inner sanctum in #Shinto shrines, but can also be found in #Buddhist temples. #faustianfriday #japanesefolklore

'Bat Comic - Utagawa Kuniyoshi, 1846. #BatAppreciationDay #ukiyoe

In Japan the chrysanthemum is called Kiku, which means evening sun. The chrysanthemum is the national flower of Japan. In Japan, chrysanthemums are a symbol of immortality and perfection, because they bloom in autumn when other flowers have already withered. #MythologyMonday

In Japanese folklore there is a tree known as ninmenju. It has flowers that look like human heads. If you laugh at the tree the heads will laugh back. However, if you make them laugh too much, they will wilt and fall off before bearing their face-shaped fruit. #MythologyMonday

🌸 #DidYouKnow - Lotus (#ハス) 🌸 Known to rise above murky waters without being tainted by them, the #lotus is the #Buddhist symbol of purity and #rebirth. It usually adorns statues' thrones and is often held in #Buddha's hands #mythologymonday #dyk #japanesefolklore

☸️ Roku #Jizo in #Arashiyama, #Kyoto ☸️ Jizo can appear in groups of six, called Roku Jizo. In a group that I found walking around near #Arashiyama (#Kyōtō) we can see them adorned with their trademark, the red bib, color said to repel demons and illness. #japanesefolklore

🗻 #SHUGENDŌ: folk religion and mountain #syncretism in #Japan 🗻 Shugendō (修験道, lit. “The Way of the Trial”) is a mix of folk practices, Shintō and Buddhist mountain rituals, and Taoist philosophy. Read more: minkai.art/2021/04/27/shu… #WyrdWednesday #japanesefolklore

Some urban legends about spooky Japanese bathroom creatures 🚻 atlasobscura.com/articles/japan…

☸️ Dragon guardian, Nanzenji, Kyoto ☸️ (August 2016, kuripan) Originated from Chinese lore, Japanese #dragons are considered both evil creatures and #Buddhist #guardians. Often represented soaring through #clouds, they are said to control #rain #superstitionsaturday #folklore

#superstitionsat

Also known as the Star Festival, the #Tanabata (七夕) is all about love and wishes. It falls every year on July 7th, and celebrates the two star-crossed gods known as Orihime (Vega) and Hikoboshi (Altair)✨ #traditionalart #wyrdwednesday #japan Read more: ow.ly/NKBz50FqDCv

Happy #Halloween everyone! 🎃👻 #myart #japaneseculture #japan wp.me/pcNwqM-fM