Sengaku-ji Temple

This impression of Sengaku-ji temple in Minato Ward, Tokyo, records the historic Soto Zen temple associated with the story of the forty-seven ronin. The existence of two recorded impressions under the same title suggests either a different printing state, a different seasonal or temporal depiction, or impressions from distinct publishing contexts. Hasui produced multiple views of significant Tokyo sites over his career, revisiting them across different series and time periods. The temple's tiered gate, enclosed precincts, and the pine and cedar trees surrounding the grave mounds of the loyal retainers offered compositional elements that suited Hasui's interest in sites where architecture and nature are interwoven. The muted greens and grey wood tones typical of his Tokyo temple subjects would distinguish this impression from his more dramatic snowscape work.