Three Frogs
Japan Explained

三猿ならぬ三蛙

Three Frogs

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A group of humorous stone statues depicting the familiar "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" in the form of frogs, arranged from left to right as see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil frogs.

A charming collection of stone frog statues that humorously express the "Three Monkeys" (see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil)—a concept famous from Nikko Toshogu Shrine—through frogs, which are considered auspicious in Japanese culture due to the homophone connection with the word for "return."

Arranged in order from left to right are the "see no evil frog" covering its eyes, the "hear no evil frog" covering its ears, and the "speak no evil frog" covering its mouth, creating a playful corner that naturally brings smiles to visitors' faces.

Hand-knitted yarn caps donated by worshippers further enhance the endearing charm of these statues.

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