Daigoji Temple

Daigoji Temple in Kyoto's Fushimi district, famous for its ancient five-story pagoda — the oldest surviving structure in Kyoto Prefecture — is rendered by Asano with the reverence and atmospheric sensitivity he brought to all of the old capital's sacred sites. The temple's extensive mountain precincts (Kami-Daigo) and valley precincts (Shimo-Daigo) encompass dozens of historic buildings across a forested hillside, providing him with compositional possibilities beyond the single landmark of the pagoda. His Kyoto upbringing gave him personal familiarity with the seasonal character of each of the city's major temple precincts.