The Island is part of Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park, established in 1972 and is known for its "traditional Okinawan" houses, stone walls, and sandy streets.
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.
The island is circular with a village in the center. |