"Three Wise monkeys" okimono-netsuke

Three monkeys (jap. sanzaru or sanbiki but Sarah) — stable composition of the three monkey figures covering the paws, eyes, ears and mouth.

It is believed that three monkeys symbolize the idea of non-doing and of evil and of estrangement from the untrue. " If I see no evil, hear no evil and say nothing about it, that I protected him".

Each of the three monkeys has its own name: Mizaru does not see, does not hear and does not speak Kikazaru Iwazaru.