have an incredibly fantastical holiday season and a wonderful 2017

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Have a Monstrously Happy Holiday Season and a Fantastical 2017! All images © Steve Gillick, 2016

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Page 1: Have an incredibly fantastical holiday season and a wonderful 2017

Have a Monstrously Happy Holiday Season and a Fantastical

2017!

All images © Steve Gillick, 2016

Page 2: Have an incredibly fantastical holiday season and a wonderful 2017

The Baku has the trunk and tusks of an elephant, the eyes of a rhinoceros, the tail of an ox and the paws of a tiger. It eats nightmares and ensures that the first dreams of the New Year are positive and auspicious.

Page 3: Have an incredibly fantastical holiday season and a wonderful 2017

Dragons look fearsome and powerful, but are considered to be benevolent and harbingers of good fortune.

Page 4: Have an incredibly fantastical holiday season and a wonderful 2017
Page 5: Have an incredibly fantastical holiday season and a wonderful 2017
Page 6: Have an incredibly fantastical holiday season and a wonderful 2017

The Nio Temple Guardian Statues are there for protection. Left with open mouth is Angyo symbolizing new beginnings and on the Left is Ungyo, with the closed mouth, symbolizing the end of all things

Page 7: Have an incredibly fantastical holiday season and a wonderful 2017
Page 8: Have an incredibly fantastical holiday season and a wonderful 2017

Shishi--the ferocious lion dogs--greet you when you arrive at Okinawa Airport. They are usually depicted in pairs with the closed mouth shishi keeping in good spirits and the open mouth shishi scaring off demons

Page 9: Have an incredibly fantastical holiday season and a wonderful 2017
Page 10: Have an incredibly fantastical holiday season and a wonderful 2017

Two shishi that somehow ended up in our home

Page 11: Have an incredibly fantastical holiday season and a wonderful 2017

Not exactly shishis or lion dogs, but it's a cute picture anyway. The owner went around Koyasan visiting Temples and sharing good luck with 'the family"

Page 12: Have an incredibly fantastical holiday season and a wonderful 2017

A Shishi and Baku under the roof of an ancient Japanese Temple in Takaoka. Warding off evil spirits.

Page 13: Have an incredibly fantastical holiday season and a wonderful 2017

A shishi under the roof of the Kumano Shrine, Karuizawa

Page 14: Have an incredibly fantastical holiday season and a wonderful 2017

The Namahage --Fearsome Ogres-- come down from the mountains in Oga, howling and yelling to scare children into being good for the New Year. They bring luck to those who allow them to enter their homes.

Page 15: Have an incredibly fantastical holiday season and a wonderful 2017
Page 16: Have an incredibly fantastical holiday season and a wonderful 2017

A Namahage drinking Sake to appease him (I have a similar reaction to drinking sake)

Page 17: Have an incredibly fantastical holiday season and a wonderful 2017

Sake is a sure-fire way to chase away bad karma, especially around the time of the New Year. In fact, in some temple lodgings, you can order 'Hanya-to' with your meal, which is Sake--but instead of referring to the alcoholic

beverage, Hanya-to refers to "attaining the Supreme Wisdom of the Buddha".

Page 18: Have an incredibly fantastical holiday season and a wonderful 2017
Page 19: Have an incredibly fantastical holiday season and a wonderful 2017

The entrance to the Ogre Cave on Megijima Island, near Takamatsu

Page 20: Have an incredibly fantastical holiday season and a wonderful 2017

You never know what you'll meet up with inside the cave

Page 21: Have an incredibly fantastical holiday season and a wonderful 2017

Guardians at the Nitenmon Gate at Senso-ji, Asakusa, Tokyo

Page 22: Have an incredibly fantastical holiday season and a wonderful 2017

Steve at the amazing rock formations at Tojinbo. Wishing you a monstrously happy holiday and New Year!

(and don't forget to put a Baku under your pillow on the night of January 1st)

Page 23: Have an incredibly fantastical holiday season and a wonderful 2017

Steve GillickTravel Writer, Speaker, Photographer

[email protected]