Komainu of Sumiyoshi Taisha (5) - Komainu Dedicated by a Shipping Magnate

Komainu of the Todai-ji Nandaimon Gate Type

Once you cross the Taiko-bashi (arched bridge), the Shinmon gate, which serves as the entrance to the main hall, is just ahead. However, instead of rushing, let's return to the main Otorii gate at the front. Sumiyoshi Taisha has many approach paths that allow entry into the shrine grounds besides the main approach. At the entrance of each approach, a torii gate and komainu are installed. This time, let's look at the komainu at the entrance of the northern approach, which is one of the side approaches to the north and south of the main Otorii gate.

The komainu are placed in front of the torii gate, but this torii is unusual. Its pillars are square, not round. This type of torii is called a "Sumiyoshi Torii." In front of this Sumiyoshi Torii, there are komainu sitting facing each other, both with their mouths open. There is another Sumiyoshi Torii just before you cross the Taiko-bashi to enter the main shrine area.

We call both statues in a pair "komainu," but strictly speaking, the one on the right with its mouth open is a "shishi" (lion), and the one on the left with its mouth closed and a horn is a "komainu." Therefore, the one in the photo with an open mouth and no horn is a "shishi." In fact, this statue has a model: the stone shishi at the Nandaimon Gate of Todai-ji Temple. This stone shishi is placed behind the famous Nio statues by Unkei and Kaikei, facing the Daibutsuden (Great Buddha Hall).

If you compare these two photos, you can see that the komainu in front of the Sumiyoshi Torii is modeled after the Todai-ji Nandaimon type stone shishi.

Regarding the stone shishi at the Todai-ji Nandaimon Gate, there is the following record in the "Todai-ji Zoritsu Kuyo-ki," which describes the reconstruction of Todai-ji.

Kenkyu 7, Chumon Stone Shishi, Stone Guardian inside the hall
Same, Four Heavenly Kings, created by four people including the Song person Zi Liulang.

According to this, the stone shishi of the Nandaimon Gate was created in the 7th year of Kenkyu (1196) as the Todai-ji Chumon (Middle Gate) stone shishi by four people, including the Song person Zi Liulang. The stone material also seems to have been transported from the continent. It was much later that they came to be placed at the Nandaimon Gate as they are today.

Komainu Dedicated by the "6th Generation Hiro-umi Nisaburo"

Now, how was this Todai-ji Nandaimon type komainu dedicated? These komainu sit on pedestals like the one in the following photo, facing each other.

The same inscription was carved on both pedestals.

A lucky day in February, Meiji 29
Donation
Ship Owner
5th Generation Hiro-umi Nisaburo Oharu
A lucky day in February, Showa 18
Rebuilt with stone carving due to the dedication of copper and iron
6th Generation Hiro-umi Nisaburo Okei

According to this inscription, it seems that the komainu, likely made of bronze, which was donated by a person named "5th Generation Hiro-umi Nisaburo Oharu" in Meiji 29 (1896), was forced to be surrendered due to the "Copper and Iron Dedication" order during World War II, and his successor, "6th Generation Hiro-umi Nisaburo Okei," rebuilt and dedicated it in Showa 18 (1943).

From the Second Sino-Japanese War to the Pacific War, as the war situation worsened, Japan faced a shortage of metal resources necessary for weapons production. To compensate for this, the "Metal Collection Order" was promulgated. As a result, citizens were forced to surrender even daily necessities such as pots and pans, and many temples and shrines lost valuable cultural assets such as temple bells and bronze statues. Bronze komainu statues and fox statues were naturally also subject to surrender. The bronze komainu donated to Sumiyoshi Taisha by the person named "5th Generation Hiro-umi Nisaburo Oharu" could not escape being surrendered either.

By the way, what kind of person was this "Hiro-umi Nisaburo"? Before the name "5th Generation Hiro-umi Nisaburo Oharu" in the inscription, there is the word "Ship Owner." Since Sumiyoshi Taisha is a shrine for the god of the sea, people in the shipping industry have dedicated many stone lanterns. Naturally, it is not surprising that they also dedicated komainu. Investigating the Hiro-umi family revealed the following.

Shipping Magnate Nizaaburo Hiromi

The Hiromi family was a family that had been in the shipping business in Kaga Province since the mid-Edo period. In particular, the fifth-generation Nizaaburo Hiromi (1854–1929) was the person who purchased steamships, which were new at the time, expanded into Osaka, and established Hiromi Shoji. Furthermore, he expanded his business not only into shipping but also into mine management, and he also became a member of the House of Peers.

After his father's death, the sixth-generation Nizaaburo Hiromi (1894–1957) inherited the family estate in 1929 and became the president of Hiromi Shoji. Even during the global economic depression of the early Showa period, he steadily maintained the ancestral shipping business and worked to further enhance his fleet of ships. Thus, the Hiromi family was a family involved in shipping for generations and believed in the Sumiyoshi Great God, the god of the sea. It is understandable that they would dedicate Komainu.

By the way, although the "Nizaaburo Hiromi" family dedicated Komainu to Sumiyoshi Taisha over two generations, the only ones that remain are the Komainu of the "sixth-generation Nizaaburo Hiromi." So, what kind of bronze Komainu did the "fifth-generation Nizaaburo Hiromi" dedicate in 1896?

Komainu dedicated by the "fifth-generation Nizaaburo Hiromi"

I have a set of eight vintage postcards of Sumiyoshi Taisha in my possession. They were published by a place called Hosoya Shinmikan, which was located in Naniwa-ku, Osaka, and the case for the eight-postcard set is inscribed with "Osaka, Hosoya Shinmikan, Dalian." Since the photo studio had a branch office in Dalian before World War II, it is thought that these postcards were taken in the few years before the war ended.

One of these eight is a postcard of the Main Shrine. Sumiyoshi Taisha has four Main Shrines, from the First Main Shrine to the Fourth Main Shrine, and the First Main Shrine is located at the very back.

Currently, there are no Komainu placed in front of any of the Main Shrines, but there are Komainu in front of the First Main Shrine at the very back of this postcard. They are so small that you cannot tell without a magnifying glass, but they look like Todai-ji Nandaimon-style Komainu. However, since this is not very reliable, I searched online and found the following postcard.

The Komainu are clearly visible. They are Todai-ji Nandaimon-style Komainu with open mouths, sitting and facing forward. Since the first pedestal directly under the Komainu looks like it is made of bronze rather than stone, the main body is undoubtedly made of bronze as well. This must be the Komainu that the "fifth-generation Nizaaburo Hiromi Oharu" donated in 1896.

Were there no Komainu in front of the Main Shrine during the Edo period? I find it strange that the Meiji-era Komainu were placed only in front of the First Main Shrine. The year 1896, when this bronze Komainu was dedicated, was the year after Japan's victory in the Sino-Japanese War, and it may have been considered appropriate to place such brave, national-defense-style Komainu in front of the Main Shrine amidst the momentum of rising national prestige. Unfortunately, however, this bronze Komainu met the fate of being requisitioned before half a century had passed since its dedication. Later, the "sixth-generation Nizaaburo Hiromi Okei" likely dedicated a stone Komainu of the same type, and it was decided to place it in front of the torii gate on the west side of the shrine grounds, using the previous generation's pedestal as it was. The reason for moving the location is not clear.