Before visiting Nikko, I had absolutely no idea where the famous three wise monkeys actually came from. Well, now I do.
The san'en (三猿, "three monkeys") embody the Buddhist principle "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil", with an amusing word-play based on the similarity between shizaru (し猿, "don't do") and saru (猿, "monkey").
It's sad how in the western world these monkeys have a negative connotation instead, and symbolize those who turn a blind eye towards evil in order to live peacefully.
This carving was created by the famous (and possibly fictional) artist Hidari Jingorō (左 甚五郎).
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Wow, you learn something new every day!
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