Yomeimon Gate in Nikko, Tosyogu Shrine

This print depicts the Yomeimon Gate of Toshogu Shrine at Nikko, one of several treatments of this subject in Kawase Hasui's meisho-e body of work. Toshogu was constructed in the early seventeenth century as the mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, and the Yomeimon's extravagant ornamental carving — covering every surface with mythological animals, flowers, and figures — made it a standard subject for ukiyo-e and shin-hanga artists. In Hasui's interpretation, the gate is approached along the stone-paved precincts, framed by the tall sugi (cryptomeria) that line the shrine approaches, with the massive stone torii and rows of bronze lanterns establishing depth in the foreground. The print likely records a specific seasonal moment — overcast winter light diffusing evenly across lacquered surfaces, or afternoon sun catching gold-leaf details of the relief carvings. Multiple Hasui editions of the Yomeimon exist with varying vantage points and seasonal treatments, distinguishable by palette and the relative emphasis on architectural detail versus surrounding landscape.