The Nakamura House

This site in Nakagusuku dates back to the early 15th century and was the home of the Nakamura family. Gashi Nakamura first lived there as the teacher of Lord Gosamaru of Zakimi.

The Welcome Center outside the grounds.

 A look down into the pig pen.

 The view from the kitchen into the home...

 ...and back.

 Looking from the courtyard back to the barn.

I do believe this Shisa is scary looking enough to scare away the evil spirits! 

 Not sure this guy could scare anything away :)

 Tradition is the open-mouthed Shisa catches the evil spirits before they enter the home,

 while the closed-mouth Shisa keeps them trapped.

It is also tradition the open-mouth is the male with the female keeping closed-mouth. More modern thought is its the female with the open-mouth (always talking :)

At the end of your visit, you are encouraged back into the Welcome Center, not to buy from the gift shop, but to enjoy a light snack of green tea (served hot during cool months and cold when its hot) and brown sugar jello sprinkled with powdered brown sugar. In the terracotta shisa are brown sugar 'rocks' to sweeten the tea, if desired.