[Onigawara]

Have you ever looked up at the roof of an old Japanese house or temple and seen an onigawara—a gargoyle-like decorative roof tile—staring down at you with a fierce expression? While onigawara have long been installed to ward off evil and protect buildings from disaster, their origin traces back to ancient times: the culture of placing sculptures of Medusa from Greek mythology, as seen in the ruins of Palmyra in the Roman Empire. This apotropaic tradition of using Medusa (known as a gorgoneion) traveled along the Silk Road to China, and rapidly spread across Japan during the Nara period as the nation actively adopted Tang Dynasty culture.

Tilemaking in Japan began in the late 6th century, when the necessary techniques were introduced from Baekje during the construction of Asuka-dera Temple. Originally, the term onigawara referred to decorative tiles placed at the ends of tile roofs, serving the practical function of preventing rain from entering the ends of the ridge. Therefore, the motifs crafted onto them were not necessarily "oni" (ogres or demons). The oldest surviving onigawara in Japan is the lotus-patterned "Fukusu Rengemon Onigawara" from the Wakakusa Garan (the original Horyu-ji Temple) in Nara, founded by Prince Shotoku. True to its name, this tile featured a lotus flower design rather than an ogre.

It was around the late 7th century, shortly before the capital was moved to Heijo-kyo, that the ogre motif first appeared on Japanese roof tiles.

Early tiles excavated from sites such as the Tofuro ruins in Dazaifu, Fukuoka Prefecture, feature the "Kishinmon" pattern, depicting an ogre glaring with an angry expression. These early Kishinmon tiles came in two main styles: one portraying the full body of an ogre to express overwhelming power, and another focusing solely on a close-up of its face.

Entering the Nara period, as onigawara were fully adopted for the Heijo Palace and major temples in Nanto (Nara), the face-only style ("Kimenmon") became the mainstream, as it efficiently conveyed powerful intensity within the limited space of a roof tile. Over the following eras, these face-only tiles evolved into the three-dimensional "onigawara" forms we recognize today.

Today, roof tiles placed at the ends of a ridge are generally called "onigawara," even if they do not feature an ogre's face. This is because throughout history, various other motifs—such as family crests, the Seven Lucky Gods, waves, clouds, or water—have been used in place of ogre faces to ward off evil and fires, or to pray for family prosperity. At the Old Aoyama Villa in Shukutsu, Otaru City, Hokkaido—a Tangible Cultural Property of Japan that I visited recently—an onigawara depicting Daikokuten with a rich facial expression was set above the main entrance. Seeing Daikokuten with a broad smile protecting the building as a lucky charm in place of a fierce ogre offered a sense of comfort—as if wrapping the entire home in good fortune rather than repelling disaster through brute strength.

In Hekinan City, Aichi Prefecture, a hub for Sanshu tiles, the workshop "Onifuku"—run by skilled onishi (onigawara artisans)—creates onigawara that can easily be incorporated into everyday life. Made with the same materials and techniques as traditional Sanshu onigawara, the "Onifuku Paperweight" scales down the fierce glare and powerful sculptural beauty of classic roof tiles into a palm-sized accent for your desk. Notable as well is the unique "smiling" onigawara, designed as a companion to the traditional glaring version. Additionally, the "Onifuku Wind Chime," featuring a small iron chime enclosed within a spherical onigawara, produces a gentle tone suitable even for apartment living. The contrast between the imposing ogre face and its unexpectedly delicate sound may pleasantly surprise you at first.

Since ancient times, onigawara have watched over buildings and people's lives. Why not welcome one into your home as a small piece of interior decor—a talisman tailored to modern lifestyles, carrying wishes for happiness and everyday smiles?

Onifuku's Onigawara Paperweight
https://www.shokunin.com/en/onifuku/paperweight.html
Onifuku's Onigawara Wind Chime
https://www.shokunin.com/en/onifuku/furin.html
Otaru Kihinkan (Old Aoyama Villa)
http://www.otaru-kihinkan.jp/aoyama_about/

References
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%AC%BC%E7%93%A6
https://tsumugu.yomiuri.co.jp/feature/%E9%AC%BC%E3%81%8C%E3%82%8F%E3%82%89%E3%82%8F%E3%82%89%E9%AC%BC%E7%93%A6/
https://www.city.kawasaki.jp/880/page/0000000772.html