Komainu original from the Ikuta-jinja Shinto shrine in Kobe, Japan.

This shrine is dedicated to the deity Kotoshiro-nushi-no-kami and was created by the Empress consort Jingu around 200.
As with other komainu, one of the statues is depicted with an open mouth while the other is closed: a-gyo and un-gyo

However, while most komainu are featured as a couple with both male and female representations, the komainu at athe Ikuta shrine feature two males. It is believed that this difference is linked to the origin of the city where they are based, in this case: korean immigration.
