There are hundreds of sculptures at the Toshougu Shrine from Nikko (Yomeimon Gate only has over 500), and there are some interesting facts about some of them.
A good example is the sculpture from Kamijinko, the Upper Sacred Warehouse: it was made after a painting by Kanō Tan’yū and it represents two animals, called “imaginary elefants".
Why “imaginary"? Because the painter had never seen an image of a real elephant, so he made the painting guided by… a description from a book. And this is the result:

Imaginary elephants, Kamijinko, Toshougu Shrine, Nikko

EXIF Info:

Yesterday’s Japan Photo: The Great Kannon from Ofuna