Gold Pavilion - Spring

Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, sits at the edge of a mirror pond in northern Kyoto, its gilded upper stories reflected in the still water below. This woodblock print depicts the temple during spring, when cherry blossoms frame the pavilion and fresh green foliage fills the surrounding gardens. Koichi renders the gold leaf of the structure using warm yellow and ochre pigments layered through multiple printing passes, a technique that approximates the metallic shimmer without actual metallic ink. The spring setting softens the composition, tempering the architectural precision of the pavilion with the organic irregularity of flowering branches. Kinkaku-ji remains one of the most frequently depicted subjects in Japanese printmaking, and Koichi's version emphasizes the interplay between the rigid geometry of the building and the natural abundance of its garden setting.