Japanese Onigawara Oni Mask Demon Wall Decor, Kawara Ceramic Ornament

Sold by an authorized seller from Japan's kawara industry — and a craftsman myself.

This Japanese Onigawara oni mask presents the demon ornament in a dignified wall-display form. A pair of strong, upswept horns rises above a furrowed brow, and scrolling swirls of carved hair frame a stern, watchful expression. Fangs show beneath the broad nose, and a flowing, richly carved beard curls beneath the open mouth. The surface is a soft, matte slate grey with a quiet, stone-like presence. Colour may vary slightly with lighting.

Onigawara are ornamental ridge-end tiles placed on the roofs of Japanese temples, castles and traditional houses. They belong to a long protective tradition in Japanese architecture, in which a formidable face was set high on the roofline to guard the building below.

Traditionally, the onigawara is regarded as a talisman. It is said to ward off evil and misfortune and to watch over the household and those who live beneath it. This is a matter of custom and belief, and it is offered here as part of the cultural character of the piece.

This piece belongs to a Japanese traditional craft form. It is made in Japan of kawara, the traditional Japanese fired clay (ceramic) used for traditional Japanese ceramics. It suits a tokonoma, an entrance hall, a study or a collection of Japanese art and architectural ornament.

• Type: Onigawara-style oni mask, demon ornament
• Material: Ceramic (kawara, traditional Japanese clay ceramic ornament)
• Origin: Japan
• Colour: Slate grey, matte finish
• Dimensions: approx. 24 cm wide x 22 cm high x 8 cm deep
• Weight: 2 kg

About the seller: I am a craftsman in the kawara (Japanese roof tile) trade myself. We are an authorized seller launched by like-minded companies within Japan's kawara industry, and we handle a wide range of kawara and onigawara from across the country. Every item is carefully inspected and packed in Japan and shipped directly to you.