As it is often the case with the Japanese traditional architecture, what seems to be just a decoration has a deeper, more profound spiritual significance.
An interesting example are the black bulbous ornaments decorating this bridge in Shimonoseki. Called giboshi, they are representing a houju (or houshu), a Buddhist sacred gem said to have the power to fulfill desires and ward off evil spirits…
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Yesterday’s Japan Photo:Old Japanese stories, the legend of Fushimi Inari, Kyoto |
