I thought I would stay on the topic of large protuberances started in the last post, and I do mean large. Here are two more examples of extreme olfactory organs, this time in the form of Baku, nightmare-eating chimera with an elephant’s trunk, rhinoceros eyes, an ox tail, and tiger’s paws. Purported with the ability to protect against evil and pestilence, it made sense that these were included in classical Shinto and Buddhist temple architecture; what better way to keep away crop ravaging insect invasions and village pillaging Ronin, than by praying at a temple protected by these deities. The first example is huge, making me wonder what temple this came from and why it was dismantled. Measuring approximately 5′ 3″ (l) x 1′ 1-3/4″ (w) x 1′ 9-5/8″ (h), this thing is almost as big as I am. If you click the image you can see in other images the pinned kone hozo (haunch tenon) joint used to hold this sucker up. Knowing a little about Japanese joinery I would have thought this to be held up with a more elaborate system due to it’s size, but I guess if it’s ornamental and not structural, all you need to do is hold up it’s own weight. Plus it looks as if it was locked in on top somewhat by some form of beam, so that would take some strain off. The second piece is large as well, though not as extreme, measuring in at 2′ 5-1/2″ (l) x 1′ 2-5/8″ (w) x 1″ 6-7/8″ (h), with a more readily identifiable elephant shnozz. Due to the manner in which these Baku are depicted you can place their age anywhere from the Kamakura era to the early Edo era, upwards of 400 years or more. Needless to say, I think the first guy is cute and wish he could come and stay at my house.

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