Single block print, Pagoda

A pagoda rises through the composition in this single-block woodblock print, its stacked roofs creating a distinctive vertical rhythm of repeating horizontal eaves. Inagaki carves the architectural subject from one block, relying on the contrast between inked and uninked areas to define the structure's form. Pagodas, originally Buddhist reliquary towers imported from the Asian continent, became iconic elements of the Japanese landscape, and their tiered silhouettes are among the most recognizable forms in Japanese art. The single-block technique strips the subject of color, forcing the pagoda's architectural geometry to carry the image. Each roof tier, bracket set, and spire element is defined purely through carved line and the interplay of dark ink against pale paper.