What is a Shiisa?

Lion figures which ward off evil spirits are called shiisa in the Okinawa dialect. Sometimes there will be a pair of shiisa, one with open mouth, one with closed, and sometimes only a single figure. Shiisa seem to have come into Okinawa during the 14th and 15th centuries.

After Meiji, tile roofed houses became popular and the custom spread of placing a shiisa on the roof to ward off demons. Glaring at the world from high on the roof, the shiiisa would certainly scare off any and all demons or evil spirits aiming to steal into the house.

Nowadays, red tile roofs are getting scarcer and rooftop shiisa are more rarely seen. Instead, you will often see a pair of shiisa placed to the right and left of the house gate. There are shiisa large and small and with a variety of faces and shapes limited only by the creativity of their makers.

I am an American living in Okinawa for about 5 years. I love the traditional tile roofs and the shiisa that protect the homes. I began collecting artistic renderings of shiisa -- Norikane and Mary Breshike are some of my favorite shiisa artists. A few years ago, I took a pottery class to learn to make a small shiisa of my own -- and I fell in love with the process of creating shiisa! My shiisa sensai, Jorge Itokazu, is a master potter and a wonderful teacher!

I'll post some pictures of my creations soon!