Category
page 1Okinawan legendary creatures

shīsā
thumb|right|Tomori shisa
is a traditional Ryukyuan cultural artifact and decoration derived from Chinese guardian lions, often seen in similar pairs, resembling a cross between a lion and a dog, from Okinawan mythology. Shisa are wards, believed to protect from some evils. People place pairs of shisa on their rooftops or flanking the gates to their houses, with the left shisa traditionally having a closed mouth, the right one an open mouth. The open mouth shisa traditionally wards off evil spirits, and the closed mouth shisa keeps good spirits in.
Kijimuna
The kijimuna () are mythological creatures said to inhabit the island of Okinawa. They are described as resembling around a three or four-year-old child with wild red hair.