{"product_id":"setoinu-guardian-dogs","title":"Setoinu : Guardian Dogs","description":"\u003cul\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cul dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA traditional komainu pair — Japan's guardian lion-dogs, placed at shrine and temple gates to ward off evil and protect sacred ground\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOne figure's mouth is open, the other closed — the classic \"a-un\" pairing said to represent the beginning and end of all things\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGenuinely made in Japan, hand-cast and hand-painted in Seto\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLeft unglazed after firing, then hand-painted in matte pigment, so no two figures look quite the same\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSold together as a matched pair\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eKomainu are the fierce guardian dog-lion statues traditionally placed in pairs at the entrances to Japanese shrines and temples. This pair follows the ancient \"a-un\" convention: one figure's mouth is open, forming \"a\" — in Sanskrit, the first sound made with an open mouth, symbolizing the beginning of all things — while its partner's mouth is closed, forming \"un,\" the final sound, symbolizing the end. Together, the two express a complete cycle, beginning to end. It's the same \"a-un\" pairing behind the everyday Japanese phrase \"aun no kokyu\" (a-un breathing), used to describe two people so in sync they understand each other without words.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003eSeto has served as a major Japanese pottery center since the Heian period and was historically the sole domestic producer of glazed ceramics — making \"setomono\" the standard Japanese term for pottery. Since the late 1800s, Seto's artisans have applied their expertise to ceramic dolls and figures using traditional methods: plaster mould casting, firing, and freehand hand-painting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaterial: Ceramic, unglazed bisque body with hand-painted matte pigment finish\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOpen-mouth figure (阿): H9 × W4.9 × D5.7 cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eClosed-mouth figure (吽): H8.6 × W4.7 × D5.7 cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSold as a pair\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCare note:\u003c\/strong\u003e The paint is applied after firing rather than glazed in, so keep both pieces dry and handle them gently.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMade in Seto, Japan\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"www.Japan-Best.net","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":63399794934090,"sku":"6913.90","price":75.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0409\/4296\/0806\/files\/SetoinuBlackF.jpg?v=1788255458","url":"https:\/\/www.japan-best.net\/de\/products\/setoinu-guardian-dogs","provider":"www.Japan-Best.net","version":"1.0","type":"link"}