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Shisa (シーサー, shīsā) is a traditional Ryukyuan cultural artifact and decoration derived from Chinese guardian lions, often seen in similar pairs, resembling a cross between a lion and a dog, from Okinawan mythology. Shisa are wards, believed to protect from some evils.
Harimizu utaki (Harimizu Shrine), a Ryukyuan shrine in Miyakojima, Okinawa Prefecture.. The Ryukyuan religion (琉球信仰), Ryūkyū Shintō (琉球神道), Nirai Kanai Shinkō (ニライカナイ信仰), or Utaki Shinkō (御嶽信仰) is the indigenous belief system of the Ryukyu Islands.
Okinawa Island (Japanese: 沖縄島, Hepburn: Okinawa-jima, Okinawan: 沖縄 / うちなー, romanized: Uchinā, [4] Kunigami: ふちなー, romanized: Fuchináa), officially Okinawa Main Island (沖縄本島, Okinawa-hontō), [5] is the largest of the Okinawa Islands and the Ryukyu (Nansei) Islands of Japan in the Kyushu region.
"Ryukyu" is an other name from the Chinese side, and "Okinawa" is a Japanese cognate of Okinawa's indigenous name "Uchinā", originating from the residents of the main island referring to the main island against the surrounding islands, Miyako and Yaeyama. [27] Mainland Japanese adapted Okinawa as the way to call these people. [citation needed]
A Shinto guardian spirit or kami of a particular place, prayed to for a number of reasons, such as success in endeavors, good harvests and protection from sickness. Ukanomitama A kami associated with food and agriculture, often identified with Inari Ōkami, the kami of rice, a child of Susanoo and the younger sibling of Toshigami. Ukemochi
The Komainu strongly resemble Chinese guardian lions and in fact originate from Tang dynasty China. [10] The Chinese guardian lions are believed to have been influenced by Asiatic lion pelts and lion depictions introduced through trade from either the Middle East or India, countries where the lion existed and was a symbol of strength. [11]
In Okinawa, this is known as Uchinaa-Yamatoguchi (Okinawan Japanese). In Amami Ōshima, it's called Ton-futsūgo (Amami Japanese). [10] In 2009, UNESCO included the Ryukyuan languages in its atlas. The Yaeyama and Yonaguni languages are classified as "severely endangered", whereas the other 4 Ryukyuan varieties are "definitely endangered".
Sefa-utaki View of Kudaka Island from Sefa-utaki. Sefa-utaki (斎場御嶽, Okinawan: シェーファウタキ Seefa-utaki [1]), meaning "purified place of Utaki," [2] is a historical sacred space, overlooking Kudaka Island, that served as one of the key locations of worship in the native religion of the Ryukyuan people for millennia. [3]