Who has never heard of Komainu? Located at the entrance to places of worship, these statues of dogs and lions are emblematic of the Japanese landscape. They are found not only in Buddhist temples, but also in some Shinto shrines to protect the deity that hosts them. His mission? Drive back the evil spirits and thus preserve the tranquility of the place they watch over! An important function, which the Komainu actually inherited from the Shishi, their ancestors from China... Shishi's descendants Appearing during the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) when the Persian Empire offered a royal lion to the Chinese Empire, Shishi are stone statues modeled after the king...