Niomon, Gate of the Virtuous Kings 仁王門

Official explanation

This is the first gate guarding the approach to Iemitsu’s mausoleum. These two fierce warriors can be found protecting the entrances to temples across Japan. The fierce expressions and muscular bodies of the statues are suitably fierce for the guardians of a shogun’s grave.

The figure on the right is Mishaku and is depicted with mouth agape, as if pronouncing “A,” the first character of the Japanese alphabet. The figure on the left, Naraen, has his mouth closed tightly as though pronouncing “N,” the last letter of the alphabet. The two syllables combined together form aun, a sacred sound in Buddhism which means oneness.

出典: 地域観光資源の多言語解説文データベース（観光庁） — www.mlit.go.jp/tagengo-db. この英語解説文は観光庁の地域観光資源の多言語解説整備支援事業で作成しました。
Source: Japan Tourism Agency, Multilingual Explanation Database. This English text was produced by the Japan Tourism Agency's multilingual explanation project and is shown unedited. Opening hours and services may have changed since it was written.