Notice anything in the image?

Why yes, every statue is wearing a red bib, something visitors to Japan notice early on. What’s up with that?

The simple answer is that it depends.

The most common statue one might see wearing a red bib is the Ojizo-sama, a statue found throughout the country along roadsides, around temples, and in cemeteries.

The Ojizo-sama is one of the most popular Japanese divinities and is seen as the guardian of children, particularly those who died before their parents. Grieving parents would put their child’s bib on the statue in hopes it would protect the child in the other world.

That said, red bibs are often seen on many statues including those of dogs (and the famous Akita, Hachikō). In Japan, red is closely associated in Shinto and Buddhist traditions as a protective color for “expelling demons and illness.” Sometimes, the statue is wearing a cap or scarf, or it’s painted red, and the ritual tradition of spirit quelling dates back to the the Asuka Period, 522 – 645 AD.  The greatest influence on Japan’s tradition of decking statues in red hats, bibs, scarfs, and toys, however, comes from the Sai no Kawara legend attributed to Japan’s Pure Land sects in the 14th and 15th centuries.

Not for nothing did we make our “Ask about My Heritage” bandanas red!

Help us educate the public about your breed with the bandana that gets the dog involved! By encouraging others to ask you about your dog, you are taking a proactive stance. The rarer or more uncommon the breed, the more your dog needs to wear it! The more common your breed, the more likely it is to be taken for granted – all the more reason to explain why the breed special!

Education begins with us. Get yours in two different sizes here: