Omamori - Japanese Amulets: koma

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. komainu, koma-inu 狛犬 / 高麗犬 / 胡麻犬 "Korean Dog" - Introduction .
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koma...　狛　 shrine guardian animals

The most common guardian animal at the entrance of a shrine is the

. komainu, koma inu　狛犬 lit. "Korean Dog" .

to ward off evil influence.
They come in a pair, one with its mouth open agyoo 阿形;
and one with its mouth closed, ungyoo 吽形, thus representing the beginning (alpha) and end (omega) of all things.

source :　facebook
Tokyo Asakusa Sanja Jinja 浅草三社神社

In some shrines, other animals are placed as guardian animals at the entrance, they usually have a strong relation
to the deities venerated at the shrine or are seen as their messengers.

. doobutsu 動物　Animals and Talismans .

- quote -
The term A-un (阿吽) is the transliteration in Japanese of the two syllables "a" and "hūṃ".
Written in Devanagari as अहूँ.
The original Sanskrit term
is composed of two letters, the first and the last of the Sanskrit alphabet. Together, they symbolically represent the beginning and the end of all things. In Japanese Mikkyō Buddhism, the letters represent the beginning and the end of the universe.
The term is also used
in Shinto and Buddhist architecture to describe the paired statues common in Japanese religious settings, most notably the Niō and the komainu. In most cases one of the two, the right one, has its mouth open to pronounce the sound "a", while the other has it closed to utter the sound "um". The symbolism is the same already seen. The generic name for statues with an open mouth is agyō (阿形 lit. "a" shape), that for those with a closed mouth ungyō (吽形 lit. "un" shape").
The term a-un
is used figuratively in some Japanese expressions as "a-un breathing" (阿吽の呼吸 a-un no kokyū) or "a-un relationship" (阿吽の仲 a-un no naka), indicating an inherently harmonious relationship or non-verbal communication.
- - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !

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komabato, koma no hato 狛鳩 guardian doves, dove

The dove (hato) in the shrine name board as hachi　八 .
The dove is the messenger of Emperor Ojin (Hachiman).

. Hachimanguu 八幡宮 Hachiman Shrines .

Miyake Hachimangu 三宅八幡宮 Kyoto

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komagitsune, koma no kitsune 狛狐 guardian foxes

. Inari 稲荷 the Fox Deity .

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komahitsuji, koma hitsuji 狛羊　koma sheep

from Hitsuji Jinja shrine in Nagoya (lit: sheep shrine)　羊神社
- source : hitsuji-jinja.html

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komainoshishi, koma inoshishi 狛猪 guardian wild boar

CLICK for more photos !
- at Adachiyama Myooken Guu 足立山妙見宮 Fukuoka
猪に乗る和気清麻呂公像という珍しい像
With a statue of Wake no Kiyo Maro sitting on a wild boar:
source :　www.kitaq.net/archives

Also at Wake Jinja 和気神社 Okayama, Goo-O Jinja 護王神社 Kyoto and others

. Wake no Kiyo Maro 和気清麻呂 and the wild boar .

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. koma manekineko 狛犬招き猫　beckoning cat .

komaneko 狛猫 Koma Neko Cat cuardians

Komaneko Matsuri Festival
The Mineyama Komaneko Festival will take place at and around Kotohira Shrine on Sep.17th. Kotohira Shrine is known for its unique guardians: komaneko, and it's said this is the only place where komaneko statues are put up as guardians. On this day, the town literally purrs. Store windows feature komanekos. There are cat-shaped sweets, cat exhibitions, workshops, and stalls selling all sorts of feline merchandise.
Bring cat lovers and enjoy the unique festival!
- source : visit Kyotango -

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komanezumi, koma nezumi 　狛鼠 / 狛ネズミ guardian mice
nezumi jinja ねずみ神社
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komaookami, koma ookami 狛狼 guardian wolves, wolf
. Mitsumine Jinja 三峰神社 . Chichibu

komatobi 狛鳶 guardian black kite
Atago Yashiro 愛宕社 Kyoto - Ootoyo Jinja 大豊神社 Kyoto

and koma nezumi 　狛鼠 at
. Ootoyo Jinja 大豊神社 Otoyo Jinja, Kyoto .

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koma taka　狛鷹 guardian hawk
at the shrine 鷹鳥屋神社 Takadoya Jinja (Takatoriya)
大分県佐伯市宇目大字南田原字真弓 Mayumi Ume Ōaza Minamitabaru, Saiki-shi, Ōita

- reference : oita takadoya shrine -

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komatora, koma tora 狛虎 guardian tiger

. Bishamon-Ten . 毘沙門天 .
Bishamonten helps those born on the day of the tiger, in the hour of the tiger and in the year of the tiger.
He is especially venerated at Mount Shigisan and Mount Kurama.

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komausagi, koma usagi 狛うさぎ guardian rabbit

Higashi Tennoo Okazaki Jinja 東天王岡崎神社, Kyoto

Women come here to pray for becoming pregnant and have many children (with an easy birth, like a rabbit . . .)

source :　d.hatena.ne.jp/pooti

Its eyes are red.

And one more like a maneki neko, inviting good business, good luck and good relationships.
金運招き兎, 縁結び招き兎, 縁結び兎.

There are a lot of rabbit statues and decorations in this shrine.

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. Tsuki Jinja 調神社 - Rabbit . Saitama

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三室戸寺 Mimuroto-ji Temple, Uji

Koma-usagi statues
三室戸寺 Mimuroto-ji Temple was established in 770 by Emperor and Konin.
The Senju Kannon Bosatsu is enshrined as a principal image. The area used to be the center of the town and used to call “Uji”. It is the 10th temple of Saigoku Sanjusankasho pilgrimage, and is known as “Flower Temple” or “Ajisai (hudrangea) Temple”.
According to oral traditions, a rabbit escorted an imperial member, Uji no Wakiiratsuko, to the temple during his visit. As a result, the temple has “Koma-usagi (rabbit)” statues instead of typical “Komainu (shrine guardian dog).”
It is a big statue made of granite which is 150 cm high and 60 cm wide. The Koma-usagi is holding a 60 cm wide ball, and there is an egg-shaped stone inside of the ball. It is said if you can make the egg stone stand in the ball, your wish can come true.
- source : eng.trip.kyoto.jp/spot/db

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komaushi, koma ushi 狛牛 guardian bull

. Tenmangu shrines 天満宮 and Sugawara Michizane　菅原道真.

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komazaru, koma no saru 狛猿 guardian monkey, doing the Sanbaso dance
Hiyoshi Yashiro 日吉社 Hiyoshi Shrine
at
. Ootoyo Jinja 大豊神社 Otoyo Jinja, Kyoto .

Nekozane Monkey 猫実の庚申塔

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. Join the Komainu Gallery on facebook .
The latest updates are here !

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- reference : www.bs-asahi.co.jp/kyoto120
- reference : blogs.yahoo.co.jp/dekunobou36

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Omamori - Japanese Amulets

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2/22/2014

koma - guardian animals

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