(17) Flower protector

 

Their name is “koma-inu” (“Korean lions”) and they guard the Shinto shrines; the one with its mouth open, forming the syllable “a” and the other with its mouth closed, forming the syllable “um” –altogether makes “Aum”, one of the older sacred sounds of Asia. Here, together with the plum trees, a trademark of Tokyo’s Yushima Tenjin shrine. 

(For a bigger version of this picture both in color and black and white, check my "Japan Arekore" set on Flickr)