これは何？

仁王仁王

寺の門に立つ二体の力強い守護神。寺と仏法を守ります。口を開けた阿形と閉じた吽形。

英語の本文を読む: English

見分け方

• Two large human figures with bulging muscles
• Inside a roofed gate (Niōmon)
• Open mouth on one, closed on the other

似ているもの

• 狛犬 — Komainu are animals at shrines; Niō are human-like figures at temples.

知っておくと

• Usually the open-mouthed Agyō stands on the right and the closed-mouthed Ungyō on the left (as you face the gate).
• The Niō in Tōdai-ji's Great South Gate in Nara are over eight meters tall.

見られる場所

出典

• Japan Tourism Agency multilingual DB: Nio Guardian Figures
• Japan Tourism Agency multilingual DB: The Nio Gate (Kōtoku-in)
• Japan Tourism Agency multilingual DB: Nio-mon, An Ancient Gate