Tower of Kibitsu Shrine

Kibitsu Shrine in Okayama Prefecture is one of the oldest Shinto complexes in western Japan, distinguished by its main hall — a rare hikitsuri-zukuri structure designated a National Treasure — and its famous covered corridor stretching nearly 360 meters along the hillside. The tower referenced in this print may be one of the shrine's subsidiary structures or a gateway element within the complex. Ido Masao treats architectural subjects with careful attention to the structural logic of traditional carpentry — bracket systems, curved roof lines, and the geometric shadow patterns cast by deep eaves. His palette for shrine architecture typically favors the warm cinnabar of lacquered wood against dark cypress and surrounding vegetation. The Kibitsu Shrine subject marks a departure from his Kyoto focus, extending his architectural documentation to the ancient ceremonial landscape of Kibi, a region with deep associations in early Japanese history. Gradated sky blocks in mokuhanga establish the hour and season.