Temple's Guardians

These photos were taken in Kunisaki Peninsula, which is famous for its many Buddhist images from the old age. They are a pair of temple guardians at the gate to Fukiji Temple which is said to be the oldest wooden structures in Kyushu. The pair, which is called Niou, stand at either side of a temple gate to ward off evil spirits. The one with his mouth open is in the agyou position while the other closes his mouth in the ungyou position. They didn't look that they had changed a lot since I visited there 36 years ago.