Nikko Toshogu Shrine, as a "zoo"（22）

The Twelve Zodiac Signs of the Five-Story Pagoda

As a bonus, here is a small view of the Twelve Zodiac Signs of the five-story pagoda outside the front gate. This is a special viewing area for a limited time only, so it is hard to get a chance to get close enough to take a picture.
The twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac are depicted three by three on the east, west, south, and north sides of the pagoda. The front of the pagoda starts with a tiger, as Ieyasu was born in the year of the tiger, Hidetada in the year of the rabbit, and Iemitsu in the year of the dragon.
The first shogun of the Tokugawa regime, which lasted 260 years, was Ieyasu, the second was Hidetada, and the third was Iemitsu.
It was Iemitsu who remodeled Toshogu Shrine on a large scale to make it more luxurious and tailored.

Rabbit is the zodiac sign of the birth year of the 2nd Shogun, Hidetada

Sheep in a Western style?

wild boar,the twelfth sign of the Chinese zodiac

dog, the 11th sign

The above is a tour of Nikko Toshogu Shrine as if it were a "zoo.
In fact, for people in the Edo period, when there was neither Disneyland nor Ueno Zoo, this place may have been like a zoo.
In particular, since the general public was allowed to enter up to the Yomeimon Gate, they must have scattered a lot of subjects that would be popular with the general public outside of the Yomeimon Gate.
In this light, the concept of "Nikko Toshogu ZOO" may be quite correct.
I think it would be a great idea to create a "Toshogu Zoo" with 3D copied figures of Toshogu's animal statues, which would be a new tourist attraction.
With a little hope for Tobu Electric Railway, Nikko City, etc., the sun is setting, so let's break up for today.