Kiyomizu Temple

This oban woodblock print depicts Kiyomizu Temple, the hilltop Buddhist complex in eastern Kyoto whose famous wooden stage extends outward from the mountainside on enormous timber pillars. The temple, founded in the eighth century and rebuilt in the seventeenth, offers panoramic views over Kyoto and is visited by millions annually. Domoto's rendering brings a local artist's perspective to a landmark that has been depicted by artists from Hiroshige to Hasui. The surrounding hillside, dense with cherry and maple trees, changes the temple's appearance dramatically across seasons, and Domoto's choice of season determines the visual character of the print. The massive wooden structure, assembled without nails, provided Domoto with an architectural subject whose engineering ambition matched the artistic ambition of translating it into woodblock form.