Arashiyama Kyoto

Arashiyama, the western edge of Kyoto where the Hozu River becomes the Katsura, is a district Tokuriki returned to repeatedly across his career. The composition typically centers Togetsukyo, the Moon-Crossing Bridge, with the wooded slopes of Mount Arashi rising behind. The river is rendered through [bokashi](/glossary/bokashi) gradation, transitioning from a deeper hue at the banks to lighter water in the channel, while the hillside foliage is built up from layered blocks that suggest mixed deciduous and coniferous growth without descriptive line. Born and based in Kyoto, Tokuriki documented the city's seasonal life across thousands of prints. Arashiyama's combination of natural setting and historical landmarks—the bridge originally dates to 836, and the Tenryu-ji temple precinct sits nearby—made it a recurring [meisho-e](/glossary/meisho-e) subject, and he worked it within both [shin-hanga](/glossary/shin-hanga) and [sosaku-hanga](/glossary/sosaku-hanga) frameworks during different phases of his output.