Shirakawa, Kyoto

A more explicitly located companion to the Shirakawa River print, this work situates the viewer within the Gion district's most photogenic corridor — the stretch of the Shirakawa canal near Shinbashi where stone bridges, weeping cherry or willow trees, and the continuous facades of ochaya teahouses create a scene unchanged in its essentials for generations. Nishijima's architectural training and his sensitivity to seasonal color would be fully deployed here: the precise geometry of tiled roofs and shoji screens contrasting with the organic forms of trees and moving water. Spring and autumn are the most common seasons for this subject, with cherry blossoms or autumn maples providing the color accent against the subdued palette of the streetscape.