Chinese-style Roof

Manpuku-ji, Kyoto

This Chinese-style roof with its sharply upturned eaves is characteristic of the building style at Mampuku-ji. The faces on the roof are called oni (devil) kawara (roof tiles), also spelled "onigawara." They are apotropaic, being intended to protect the building from harm.

More information about Japanese roof tiles can be found at the Kyoto Guide and Japanese Mythology websites, among others.