Three Monkeys (Important Cultural Property)
In Japanese lore, monkeys are the protectors of horses, and carvings of monkeys decorate the transoms of the sacred horse stable at Tōshōgū. The famous “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” monkeys are depicted in the second panel of the eight transom panels of the stable. The panels show the circle of life.
Sacred Font (Mizuya) (Important Cultural Property)
This structure houses the water basin next to the Rinzō and was built in 1618. The brilliant pigments and liberal use of gold leaf were popular at the time. The carvings under the curved gable are of dragons soaring above waves and other water motifs.
Rinzō (Sutra Library) (Important Cultural Property)
This building holds a complete set of Buddhist sutras transcribed by Tenkai (1536?–1643), the fifty-third abbot of Nikkōzan. The sutras are shelved in a revolving, octagonal cabinet called a rinzō, from which the building takes its name. Turning the cabinet enables the scriptures to be “read” quickly, and one full revolution is believed to bestow the same karmic benefit as reading each word of the scriptures within.