Found us some more demons 👹🍣🎎 Wonderful Japan

Some time ago, I showed you a few pictures of Kawara Road 瓦 ロ-ド, the street of roof tiles. There is a small community near our town where some entrepreneurs have specialized in burning clay tiles, which they produce in a wide variety of shapes. But to make sure no one gets bored, they don't just produce tiles, but also a lot more that you can use to decorate not only your roof, but also your garden.

Japanese roofs often display various decorative elements, which are usually used to ward off evil. In addition, you can often see small family crests, although these seem to be becoming increasingly rare nowadays. However, things are quite different when it comes to demons, of which you can see quite a few here on Kawara Road.

Ghosts and demons are part of Japanese culture and folklore, and they come in a wide variety of shapes and forms. It appears that you can let your imagination run wild, which you can see and feel very clearly in the roof tile district.

There are little clay demons on many roofs and fences, as well as on some walls. Painted in bright colors, these are a nice eye-catcher and you can also buy and paint the smaller ones yourself. This can be great fun, and not just for the little ones.

But it doesn't always have to be small. To make sure you are not being overlooked, other places are all the higher up. A few wild demon heads are perched on a meter-high pile of roof tiles, making an impression even from a distance. As you can see, someone seems to have had a lot of fun playing around here.

But it's not just demons that you meet here on Kawara Road. Let us say hello to two of the seven gods of fortune who have made themselves at home here. Sitting right next to a demon skull are Daikoku and Ebisu, the god of wealth and the god of fishing, whom I have often encountered in Japan.

Here we have a Komainu sitting in front of a creatively decorated wall made of roof tiles. The fierce lion dogs are normally found in the entrance areas of Shinto shrines, where they have the task of warding off evil spirits. But here, too, he seems to be doing a pretty good job, which is probably due to his fierce and determined facial expression.

Here we have another wild demon with pointed horns and molars. I'd like to have one of these fellows right above the entrance of my house. After all, it clearly shows what's going on here.

But it can also look a little playful. Whether on roofs, fences or walls, you can get really creative with the smaller or larger roof tiles. Sometimes even the demons can be a little bigger, depending on how much space you have at home. If you want to make a real statement, simply go one size bigger and wilder. There should be no upper limit here....

...which you can clearly see here in this last picture. So if you really want to make an impression, it's best to order the XXL-Plus version right away. With a guy like this in your front garden, there's no need for any further words.

I myself think this last demon is fabulous. It always makes me happy to see how our fellow citizens can express themselves creatively. I'm sure that some hard-working hands have had a lot of fun making this guy. And this fun quickly rubs off on the observer. Even now, as I type these lines here, I find myself with a smile on my lips. Wonderful, that's exactly how you should end the day.

And I now know where we have to go again soon. The Kawara Road isn't that far and is really suitable for a day trip. I think the rest of the family will be happy to come along, and maybe there will even be something new to discover. Whether demons or the Gods of Fortune, I would be delighted to meet them....