...and the Budhdist temple Enoshima Daishi (江の島大師). Here one of the two Nio (仁王) its muscular guardians --these guardians exist in many Buddhist temples and their inspiration is Vajrapani, one of the first bodhisattva that appeared when Buddhism was still an Indian matter. The inspiration for Vajrapani was, oddly, Ancient Greeks' Hercules (see Greco-Buddhism i.e. mix of Hellenic culture and Buddhism in the areas that is today's Afghanistan, Pakistan etc.)
...and here is the other. Nio are always presented one with his mouth open and the other with his mouth closed so they can illustrate inhalation and exhalation as well as the ancient syllable Aum symbolizing the beginning and the end of everything.
(For a bigger version of these pictures both in color and black and white, check my "Japan Arekore 2" set on Flickr).
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