A pair of Shachi ornaments can be seen on the roof of most Japanese castles, because they are talismans against fire. Shachi are representing a fantasy creature called shachihoko (which is sometimes incorrectly translated as “dolphin"), having the head of a tiger and the body of a carp.

Shachi are very large ornaments, and among those surviving from the medieval period the largest (at 2.08 meters tall) are those of the Matsue castle, photographed here displayed inside the main tower.

Matsue Castle, Matsue, Shimane

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Yesterday’s Japan Photo: Shinto shrines, Chinjusha