Images of the Nioh are put on the side of the Omotemon. Therefore, the Omotemon used to be called Nioh-mon Gate. The Nioh is a pair of Deva Kings, and is guardian of Buddhism. The Nioh was relocated to Taiyuin Mausoleum by the law of Meiji government.
The name of the gate became Omotemon (Front gate) since then. The Nioh came back to the original place in 1897. Images of Karajishi (Chinese lion) and tapir are put on the side of the gate. Also, 82 sculptures including giraffes and tigers, face the passage. The second tiger from the right, has a different bodily pattern from other. It is not stripe, but circle like a leopard. The leopard was considered to be a female tiger in Edo period.
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