About
Passing through the front gate of Nikko Toshogu Shrine and looking to the left, you will notice a building with a simple appearance. This is the “Shinkyu-sha” (Sacred Stable). This stable was built as a place to tether the sacred horses, known as “goshinme,” which serve the deity. In contrast to the other shrine buildings adorned with elaborate decorations, the Shinkyu-sha is constructed in a plain wooden style, following the form of samurai stables.
Above the lintel of this building, monkey carvings are arranged across eight panels. Since ancient times, monkeys have been regarded as guardians of horses, believed to heal their illnesses and care for them. For this reason, monkey carvings are placed on the Shinkyu-sha. These carvings satirically depict the stages of human life, with the most famous being the “Three Wise Monkeys”—those who “see no evil, speak no evil, and hear no evil.”
The carving of the Three Wise Monkeys illustrates a lesson for childhood. It conveys the admonition that, as children, one should not see or hear evil, should not use bad words, and should grow up honestly by absorbing only good things. This is based on the idea that if a child, who is pure and easily influenced, acquires good qualities during this period, they will be able to make correct judgments even when exposed to bad things in the future.
Other carvings also depict the process of human growth. For example, the figure of a mother monkey gazing at her child’s future represents a parent’s wishes for their child’s future. A lone monkey enduring solitude while contemplating the future symbolizes adolescence, the time of becoming independent. Furthermore, a monkey looking upward with hope in its heart represents the youthful period of aspiring towards one’s ambitions.
These carvings are not merely decorative; they convey life lessons and philosophies, leaving a deep impression on visitors. The Shinkyu-sha at Nikko Toshogu Shrine, quietly standing among the splendid shrine buildings, is a place that gently speaks of the course of human life and its teachings through its carvings.