Staircase To Tanigumi Shrine

Tanigumi-san Kegonji in Gifu Prefecture is renowned for its long stone staircase lined with stone lanterns, leading through dense cedar forest to the main hall of the Tendai Buddhist complex. Hasui's print of this staircase likely depicts the lantern-flanked steps receding into misty forest depths, a composition that exploits natural linear perspective while emphasizing the sacred, liminal quality of the approach path. The stone lanterns, worn smooth with age, and the towering cryptomeria forest above would be rendered with careful attention to texture through fine carving. As a subject removed from Hasui's more frequently depicted coastal and urban sites, this print reflects the breadth of his travel sketching in the Chubu region.