Kinkakuji Temple in Snow

This impression of Kinkakuji in winter belongs to the group of related compositions Hasui produced depicting the Golden Pavilion under snow, each distinguished by subtle differences in season, vantage point, sky tone, or printing state. The pavilion rises above the Mirror Pond in its characteristic three-tiered form, the topmost story capped with a gilt phoenix finial rendered in warm metallic tone against a winter sky. Snow weighs on surrounding garden pines, and ice may edge portions of the pond's perimeter. Hasui's publishers oversaw multiple editions of his most popular designs throughout the shin-hanga era, meaning successive printings often reflect the preferences and technical capabilities of different pressmen working from the same keyblock.