Heian Jingu Shrine

Heian Jingu, the Shinto shrine built in 1895 to commemorate Kyoto's founding, was among Kotozuka's most frequently revisited subjects, its vermillion-lacquered buildings and famous iris garden providing material for numerous distinct compositions. This fourth identified Heian Jingu print suggests either a different seasonal treatment — the shrine appears variously in cherry blossom, iris, autumn maple, and snow — or a different architectural focus, such as the great torii gate, the Otenmon main gate, or the interior garden pond. Kotozuka's proximity to the shrine as a Kyoto-based artist allowed direct observation across all seasons. The intense mineral vermillion of the shrine's painted woodwork required a separate printing block and pigment registration demanding precision from his studio printers.