Hitachi Jishi is a style of lion head (shishigashira) passed down in Ishioka City, Ibaraki Prefecture, characterized by its lack of horns and its thick, powerful eyebrows and fierce expression. The oldest record of lion dancing in Ishioka appears in a document from 1854, and the lions are said to have originally developed as part of 'gyodo,' a ritual in which Buddhist monks paraded through town chanting sutras to ward off evil spirits. In the modern era, lions from each neighborhood in the city began gathering together for the region's largest festival, the Grand Festival of Hitachi-no-kuni Sosha-gu Shrine (the Ishioka Festival), and the demand for lion heads spurred the refinement of the craftsmanship. In production by today's artisans, locally grown paulownia wood is used for the base, with the ears, eyebrows, eyes, nose, and upper and lower jaws each carved separately and then assembled, before being finished with genuine lacquer and pure gold leaf. Ishioka City is home to classes and workshops that teach the techniques for making lion heads, and finished decorative lions can also be purchased—making it a nationally rare example of a 'living' local craft.
Origin
The origin of Hitachi Jishi (lion heads) is not clearly documented, but the oldest record of lion dancing in Ishioka appears in an old document from 1854. It is said to have first appeared as part of 'gyodo,' a ritual in which Buddhist monks went from house to house chanting sutras to ward off evil, and it spread in connection with local beliefs in warding off misfortune and evil spirits. The distinctive appearance—lacking horns and featuring thick, powerful eyebrows—is considered a design unique to Ishioka's lion heads.
History
From the modern era onward, each neighborhood in Ishioka City began bringing out its own lion for the Grand Festival of Hitachi-no-kuni Sosha-gu Shrine (the Ishioka Festival), and this raised both demand for lion heads and the skill of the artisans making them. At the festival, a style unique to Ishioka called 'horo-jishi' developed, in which a lion head is mounted on the front of a canopy-covered cart and danced through the streets, with each neighborhood identified by a different canopy color. Today, artisans and organizations such as Kurusu Tamotsu and the NPO Hitachi Jishi Chokoku Denshukan continue to pass down the production techniques and put effort into training the next generation.
Features
The lion heads used in Ishioka's festivals are traditionally coated overall in black lacquer, with gold leaf applied to the eyes and teeth, and the throat area covered with rooster feathers. Meanwhile, techniques passed down by contemporary artisans include using locally grown Ishioka paulownia wood for the base, carving each part—ears, eyebrows, eyes, nose, and upper and lower jaws—separately before joining them, and finishing over a vermilion undercoat with layers of genuine lacquer and pure gold leaf. A fierce, hornless expression with thick, powerful eyebrows is a shared feature, and the craft remains a living, practical part of the region's festival culture today.
Materials Used
Production Process
- 1
Carving each part
Ears, eyebrows, eyes, nose, and upper and lower jaws are each carved individually from Ishioka-grown paulownia wood.
- 2
Joining the parts
The carved parts are assembled and joined together to form the overall shape of the lion head.
- 3
Undercoat and finishing
A vermilion undercoat is applied, followed by finishing with genuine lacquer and pure gold leaf. A hallmark of the craft is that the same materials are used for the interior as well, reflecting a thoroughgoing approach to construction.
| Main Production Areas |
|
|---|
Artisans & Workshops
来栖保
An artisan based in Wakamiya, Ishioka City, who trained in Tokyo for 13 years starting at age 25 before becoming independent, and has been making Hitachi Jishi lion heads for more than 50 years. He has also taught the next generation at the Ishioka class for more than 32 years.
Hands-on Experiences
常陸獅子彫刻伝修館
茨城県石岡市石岡2747-5
A classroom and workshop for lion-head carving run by an NPO. Under chairman Sakurai Mitsuyasu, techniques are taught to disciples and students who come from across Japan at six classrooms throughout the prefecture, and the workshop also handles the production, sale, and repair of lion heads. Decorative lion heads can be purchased starting at around ¥50,000.