Wonderful wood carving on the gate (Photo: Cathy Cawood)

Soho-in

Menagerie of carved mythical creatures in Machida

Cathy Cawood   - 1 min read

This temple in Machida City has a large, impressive gate with beautifully carved mythical creatures. There are shishi, which are the same creature as koma-inu (the 'lion-dogs' that guard the approach to Shinto shrines) and are believed to have protective powers. There are also baku, strange animals with elephant trunks and tiger's paws, that are believed to eat nightmares, and to complete this mythical menagerie there are also dragons.

Cathy Cawood

Cathy Cawood @cathy.cawood

 I came to Japan in 2003 to teach English. I lived in Shiga prefecture for 1 year, and it still holds a special place in my heart. I lived in Kyoto for 9 years, then moved to Machida, Tokyo in 2014 after meeting my Japanese partner. I love to take photos, and my Japan in Pictures Facebook page ha...