#chinjusha

[crazyfox-archives]

A sculpted image of the Himalayan deity Byakkōshin (白光神 “Deity of White Light”) dating to 1225 and thought to be the work of the Buddhist artist Tankei (湛慶), once enshrined along with other deities in a local protective shrine near the main hall on the grounds of Kōzanji Temple (高山寺) up in northwest Kyoto

Image from a booklet acquired at the temple March 30, 1997

[pamandjapan-blog]

鎮守社 鎮社 (Tutelary Shrine)

A Chinjusha is a Shinto shrine which enshrines a tutelary kami, a spirit protecting a given area, village, building or Buddhist temple. They are usually very small (sometimes large), depending on the enshrined kami.