✳︎Product Name: Tochigi Prefecture Taiheizan Shrine Taihe Hibuse (Fire Prevention) Lion ✳︎Manufactured: Showa Period ✳︎Artisan: Kenji Suzuki ✳︎Size: 78″H × 24″W × 24″D mm (with original box) ✳︎Condition: There are minor age-related stains, but it is a beautiful item as it has been stored in its box, with no fading of the fire prevention charm. ◉ Bulk purchase possible ◉ Individual sale not possible This is a local toy from Tochigi Prefecture, Tochigi City, based on the komainu (guardian lion-dogs) that have protected the gods of Taiheizan Shrine for ancient times. The origin of this souvenir is the "Hibuse no Shishi" (Fire Prevention Lion), a treasure of Taiheizan Shrine. The year of creation and the craftsman are unclear, but due to its age, it is believed to date back to around 900 years ago. During a fierce battle in 1584 (Tenbun 12) on Taiheizan between Lord Hiroteru Minagawa and Ujizane Hojo, the main hall and other buildings were burned down. How did it escape the fire amidst the intense battle? The lion has a date written on it from before the Sengoku period, and in reality, while many buildings within Taiheizan were destroyed by fire, only the wooden lion survived. Local people enshrined it and revered it as the "Hibuse no Shishi." During the Edo period, when fires were frequent, the fire prevention faith of Taiheizan spread to many merchants in Tochigi, eventually leading to the faith of "Hibuse." The local toy "Hibuse no Shishi" was created based on this folk tale. ◉ Kenji Suzuki (1906-1987) A sculptor and plasterer from Tochigi City. Born in Hirai-cho, Tochigi City, he entered the Sculpture Department of Tokyo School of Fine Arts (now Tokyo University of the Arts) in 1925. He studied under Kōun Takamura, but was expelled while still a student for distributing anti-military training leaflets on campus. He returned to his hometown for a time and initiated the folk art movement, devising local toys such as this "Hibuse no Shishi" and "Uzuma no Namazu" (Uzuma Catfish). The materials used were scrap wood generated during the processing of the geta (wooden clogs) industry, which was once a major industry in Tochigi City. Unfortunately, this local toy has since become extinct due to a lack of successors. ⤵︎Search terms below Tochigi Souvenir Kagami (Kiln God) Hibuse (Fire Prevention) Kagami (Fire God) Fire Safety Tochigi Prefecture Folk Art Folk Craft Flea Market MUJI Fuku Kan (Lucky Bag) #LocalToy Peasant Art folkartt folktoy Folk Toy Souvenir Kokeshi Creative Kokeshi Hibuse (Fire Prevention) Guardian Forest Fire Prevention Disaster Prevention Exorcism Ward off Evil Business Prosperity Family Safety Sainokami (Roadside Deity) Dōsojin (Roadside Deity) #KenjiSuzuki Kitchen Disaster Prevention Kunio Yanagita National Association of Local Toy Friends #HibuseNoShishi #TomobaNoNamazu