I am not sure how common this is in other countries, but here in Japan, we have seen a lot of masked statues and monuments. Perhaps that's one way to appease the
kamisama.
I remember one of the first landmarks wearing a mask was Hachiko in Shibuya (not my photo).
I pass Bashō's statue once a week, and he seems to sport a new set every time we meet.
In Kamakura, too:
O-
inari at Maruyama Inari Shrine. They look particularly stern.
The Koma-inu at
Tsurugaoka Hachimangu.
And even the massive Koma-inu on Wakamiya-oji.