(4) Modern lion statues in Japan


Whilst in Java the propagation of Islam had terminated the construction of candi (Hindu and Buddhist temples), in Japan Buddhism and Shintoism has been accepted until today. Thus, temples and shrines have been maintained or newly constructed and lion statues of modern design, installed.

 

Let us first visit the Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple (formerly called Hongwanji Temple Tsukiji Branch) in Tokyo. The temple with a unique architectural style which is quite different from traditional ones was built in the 9th year of Showa (1934) designed by Prof. Chuta Ito, a famous architect and sculptor, who left a number of valuable buildings. The client was Rev. Count Kozui Otani, the 22nd Chief Priest of the Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji-ha denomination, who had organised the Otani Expedition and explored Buddhist ruins in India and Central Asia and encountered Prof. Ito in India. The architecture of the Tsukiji temple must have been produced merging the images of the two great persons.[1] The central round roof looks Ajanta-style, the stupas on the both wings are similar to those of Angkor Wat and the sculptures put on everywhere of the building reminds one of Borobudur.

  

  

Front view of Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple. Photographed by M. Iguchi, 7 May 2018.
 
 
Pairs of lion which guard the temple at the top and the bottom of the handrails of the central stairs were certainly the works of the same architect. Although the lions look more or less similar to that of Chinese lions at the Great South Gate of Todaiji Temple in Nara, the bottom pairs resemble the Winged-Lion which was imaged in Persian Mythology and also adopted as the symbol of St. Mark. Also they had long curled tails. This style must have been created with to the imagination of Prof. Ito who was familiar with the culture of ancient Europe and West Asia.
 

 
 

Lion statues, left and right, at the top of the handrails of the central stairs of Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple, Tokyo. Photographed by M. Iguchi, 7 May 2018.

 
   

Left statue: front and rear view.                                 Right statue: front and rear view.
Lion statues at the bottom of the handrails of the central stairs of Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple, Tokyo. Photographed by M. Iguchi, 7 May 2018.

  

 
Lion guardian statues designed by Prof. Ito are also found at the Car Park Entrance Gate of Yasukuni Shrine, Kudan-shita, Tokyo. On the plate was inscribed that the statues were dedicated in the 8th year of Showa (1933) by the Katakura Family which rooted from Okaya, Shinano (the present-day Nagano prefecture) and built a fortune by silk manufacture. The figures were Chinese style lions to which long curled tails were added, the mouth of one being open and the same of the other being closed in accordance with the Japanese tradition. The design of the mane and shoulder looked distinctive.

 

 
 

Left statue: front and rear view.                                 Right statue: front and rear view.
Lion statues at the Car Park Entrance Gate of Yasukuni Shrine, Kudan-shita, Tokyo. Photographed by M. Iguchi, 7 May 2018.

 

 
In front of the South Gate were a pair of brass-made lion statues which, according to the shrine’s newsletter[2], were worked by Kaichiro Uchiyama and dedicated in February in 1963 by Iseki and Co. Ltd., presumably designed after the lion statues at Daihouji Shrine in Shiga Prefecture.

  

  

   
Brass-made lion statues at the South Gate of Yasukuni Shrine, Kudan-shita, Tokyo. Photographed by M. Iguchi, 7 May 2018.
 

 

At Yasukuni Shrine two pair of Shishi-komaninu guardian statues stand on the sides of front approach and in front of the Great Gate. According to “The 100 Year History of Yasukuni Shrine”[3], “the former was dedicated in 1964 by Mr. Ichiro Kiyose, the then chairman of the House of Common, who asked a sculptor, Mr. Kyoji Yagi, to complete the pieces which had been ordered during the Second World War by the Ministry of Army from a sculptor, Naoshi Goto, but left unfinished. The latter, the oldest lion guardian statues at this shrine, were the pieces which had originally existed at Sanxue Temple, Haicheng, Liaoning-sheng, China, where a field hospital was placed during the Sino-Japanese War: They were handed over and dedicated to the Emperor of Meiji.”

 

 

Front view of Yasukuni Shrine, Kudan-shita, Tokyo. Photographed by M. Iguchi, 19 May 2018.

 
 
 
Brass-made lion statues at front approach of Yasukuni Shrine, Kudan-shita, Tokyo. Photographed by M. Iguchi, 7 May 2018.
 
 
 
Lion statues from Sanxue Temple, Haicheng, Liaoning-sheng, China, at front approach of Yasukuni Shrine, Kudan-shita, Tokyo. Photographed by M. Iguchi, 19 May 2018.
 
 

At the approach of Mimeguri Shrine in Mukoujima, Sumida, Tokyo, is a true-to-life sculpture of real lion besides traditional Shishi-komainu statues. The lion sculpture is the piece which had formerly existed at the entrance of Mitsukochi Departmentstore's Ikeburkuro Branch. After the closure of store ten tears ago I wondered the whereabouts of the lion but was pleased to meet him again at this shrine.
  

 
 

The approach of Mimeguri Shrine (left) and the sculpture of lion moved from Mitsukoshi Department Store’s former Ikeburkuro Branch (right). Photographed by M. Iguchi, 11 May 2018.

  

 
 
Shishi-komainu guardian statues at the approach of Mimeguri Shrine. Photographed by M. Iguchi, 11 May 2018.
 

 

In the precinct of the shrine, there were Inari Shrine and Ebisu-Daikoku Shrine with a pair of fox statues and a pair of shishi-komainu statues, respectively. For fox statues, see the next section, “(5) Statues of wild boars, tigers, mice and foxes at temples and shrines in Japan”.

 
 
 
Fox statues in the precinct of Mimeguri Shrine. The gate of Inari Shrine is seen behind the left fox stastue. Photographed by M. Iguchi, 11 May 2018.

  

  

Front view of Ebisu-Daikoku Shrine located in the precinct of Mimeguri Shrine

 
 
 
Shishi-komainu guardian statues at the Ebisu-daikoku Shrine. Photographed by M. Iguchi, 11 May 2018.
 
 

Ebisu-Daikoku Shrine is the start point of Mukoujima Seven Lucky Gods Tour. I had once visited them.

 

The beginning of Mimeguri Shrine is not certain but according to the shrine’s legend it dates back to the Heian Period, 9th Century.[4] Ever since the Mitsui Family from Ise (the present-day Mie Prefecture) opened their store, Echigoya, in Yedo (the present-day Tokyo) in 1673, which was renamed as Mitsukoshi in 1928, Mimeguri Shrine was worshipped as their guardian, because, 囲, an alternative character of 圍 of 三圍 (mimeguri),surrounds the 井 of 三井 (mitsui). Even today, the Mitsui financial group, headed by Mitsukoshi, is the main patron of the shrine. Mr. Ousuke Hibi, the head-clerk of the Mitsui and founder of Mitsukohi, the first modern department store in Japan, who saw the lion sculptures which guarded the Nelson’s Column at the Trafalgar Square of London during his visit to England in 1906 wished to adopt lion sculptures as the symbol of his departmentstore and ordered from the famous sculptor, Leonard Stanford Merrifield (1880-1943) to make an imitation sculpture. The sculpture arrived at Japan in 1914 was installed at the Nihonbashi Head Store of Mitsukoshi and after that replicas were placed at Mitsukochi's branch stores. As mentioned above, the statue at the Ikebukuro Branch was donated to Mimeguri Shrine in 2009.[5]
 
 

   

Left: Lion sculptures at the basement of Nelson’s Column at Trafalgar Square, London. Duplicated from an antique print, 1867: https://picclick.co.uk/LONDON-Lions-at-the-base-of-Nelson’s-Column-351535413569.html.

Right: A poster at the time of the completion of lion sculptures. Duplicated from: https://picclick.co.uk/The-Lions-At-Last-Edwin-Landseer-Trafalgar-Horatio-232044645752.html. On the poster is mentioned, “The Lions at last! ‘Thank you, Sir Edwin! England at last has done her duty.’” This comment is considered to correspond to the famous words, “England expects that every man will do his duty” which was sent by Admiral Horatio Nelson prior to the Battle of Trafalgar from the flagship to the mariners by means of hand flag signals.

  

The Nelson’s Column itself was constructed in 1840-43, designed by William Railton, to commemorate Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Brontét, who died at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The four lion sculptures, designed by Sir Edwin Landseer in collaboration with Baron Marochetti, were added in 1867.[6]
 
In Tokyo, true-to-life lion statues are also found at Hyokeikan Building, Tokyo National Museum, in Ueno Imperial Park, which was aimed at constructing a modern art museum within the city of Tokyo and inaugurated for celebrating the wedding of Emperor of Taisho (the then the crown Price) on the 10th May, 1900. At the same time the museum was renamed as Tokyo Imperial Museum,[7] and in 1952 as the present name.
 

 

Lion statues at the entrance of Hyokeikan Building, Tokyo National Museum. Photographed by M. Iguchi, 16 January 2019.

  

 
 

Lion statues at the entrance of Hyokeikan Building, Tokyo National Museum. Photographed by M. Iguchi, 16 January 2019.

 
 
The idea to place lion statues as guardians of a museum would have been the imitation of examples at the British Museum, the Louvre Museum, etc.
 
 

 
References
[1] http://tsukijihongwanji.jp/
etc.
[2] An article in Yasukuni, Editorial office of The 100 Year History of Yasukuni Shrine, 1 March 1984.
[3] The 100 Year History of Yasukuni Shrine: Document Edition Vol. 2/3, 1983
[4]
Brochure of Mimeguri Shrine.
[5]
Homepage of The MITSUI Public Relations Committee, http://www.mitsuipr.com/special/spot/09/

[6] The Victorian Web, http://www.victorianweb.org/...
; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson%27s_Column.
[7] https://www.tnm.jp/modules/r_free_page/index.php?id=151
etc.
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