A Temple Gate in Shiba Park, Tokyo

Shiba Park in Tokyo, site of Zojoji Temple, was a location Hasui depicted several times, drawing on his intimate knowledge of the city where he was born and lived. The temple gate — likely the Sangedatsumon, Zojoji's large three-portal gate — would appear here framed by surrounding trees or winter-stripped branches, with the architecture rendered in precise detail against a pale or cloud-laden sky. Shiba Park subjects allowed Hasui to combine architectural precision with atmospheric treatment of sky and seasonal vegetation. The gate's vermillion lacquer and multi-tiered roof brackets provided visual contrast against natural surroundings. As a meisho-e of a famous Tokyo landmark, the print participates in the shin-hanga project of documenting historically significant Japanese sites threatened by modernization during the Taisho and early Showa periods.