Temple Bell Tower

A temple bell tower, or shōrō, houses the great bronze bell that marks the hours and calls communities to prayer, its deep resonance carrying across considerable distances. Yoshida's 1935 print captures one such structure — likely a sturdy wooden frame of traditional joinery, open on all sides to allow the bell to sound freely, set within the precincts of a Buddhist temple. The architectural subject allowed Yoshida to explore the interplay of massive timber construction against sky and foliage, structure and nature in the balance that characterizes his best architectural prints.