National Treasures & Important Cultural Properties
of National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan

This is an onigawara, a ridge-end tile with a demon’s face, from the Dazaifu government office, which oversaw the nine provinces and two islands of Kyushu (known collectively as the “Saikaidō,” or “western sea region” in ancient Japan). The tile was made sometime between the late seventh to the early eighth century, making it the oldest in a category of similar demon-faced ridge-end tiles. With thick eyebrows that adorn its large forehead, contorted into a deep frown, as well as bulging eyes, a large nose, and its mouth wide open, baring sharp fangs and teeth, the demon turns the full force of its fearsome, enraged gaze upon any approaching evil. The tensing of its skin and movement of its facial muscles were also captured realistically in relief. Its eyes were designed such they angled slightly downward, rather than straight ahead, so as to direct its gaze toward the ground from its position up on the roof.

Such high-relief tiles have come to be known as “Dazaifu-style onigawara” due to their vast stylistic differences from flatter demon-faced tiles found in other ancient capital cities in central Japan, including Fujiwara (present-day Kashihara, Nara) and Heijō (present-day Nara City, Nara). Dazaifu was also the earliest region to make and employ such tiles on its roofs. Analysis of the expression depicted on the tile has led researchers to believe this design may have been influenced by the Korean Peninsula or China. More recently, researchers have pointed to the possibility that the demon’s face may be related to depictions of beasts baring their teeth or biting on something, or the taotie, a creature from Chinese mythology. Others have suggested that it bears resemblance to the expressions found on statues of the Niō, two guardians flanking the entrance of many Buddhist temples, from the same era. As no conclusive point of origin has been identified thus far, the beginnings of demon-faced tiles are still shrouded in mystery.

Tiles of the same form have also been excavated from the ruins of the Mizuki fortress, the Ōnojō castle, as well as the Ito castle. Nevertheless, this particular tile is by far the most well-made of its kind, unrivaled in craftsmanship and power despite being an incomplete relic.