Introducing trivia quizzes and fun facts about the Three Wise Monkeys for seniors!

Divine Stables

Shinkyusha is the stable at Nikko Toshogu Shrine. Adorned with lavish, resplendent decorations, it is one of the highlights of Nikko Toshogu.

hear not

The Three Wise Monkeys are a sculpture of three monkeys that embody “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.” The carving is located at the Shinkyusha (sacred stable) of Nikko Toshogu Shrine, which is also registered as a World Heritage site.

16 animals

The Three Wise Monkeys are famous, but in fact they’re just one of eight monkey carvings. The eight panels of monkeys together form a single story that parallels a human life.

early childhood

The Three Wise Monkeys represent a period of abundant curiosity in childhood. The phrase “see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil” embodies the wish for children to grow up straight and sincere.

36 meters

The five-story pagoda at Nikkō Tōshōgū is 36 meters tall, making it the 10th tallest among five-story pagodas in Japan. Built in the early Edo period, it is a beautiful vermilion-lacquered structure. Inside the tower are enshrined statues such as the Shakyamuni Buddha and the Four Heavenly Kings.

horse

There are currently two white horses in the sacred stable. Called shinme (divine horses), they are said to be descendants of the sacred horse that served Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Tochigi Prefecture

Nikkō Tōshō-gū is a Shinto shrine located in Nikkō, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. It enshrines Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of the Edo shogunate. Founded in 1617 according to Ieyasu’s will, it was constructed under the second shogun, Tokugawa Hidetada.