Heian Shrine - Spring

Heian Jingu, the Meiji-era shrine built in 1895 to honor Emperor Kanmu, is surrounded by one of Kyoto's most impressive strolling gardens. This woodblock print depicts the shrine grounds in spring, when weeping cherry trees drape their branches over the garden's central pond. The vermillion torii gate and shrine buildings provide bold color accents against the pale pink of the blossoms. Koichi captures the shrine during its most photographed season, but the woodblock medium adds a material quality that photography cannot replicate: the grain of the wood blocks visible in flat color areas, the precise registration of multiple color layers, and the soft absorbency of washi paper. The result is a springtime scene that feels both specific to Heian Jingu and timeless in its rendering of seasonal beauty.