The Pagoda at Zojo Temple and Akabane

The right edge of the picture is occupied by two stories of the vermilion-lacquered five-story pagoda. Below it the Furukawa River curves from foreground to background, with Akabane Bridge spanning it. On the left bank a daimyo residence with long white walls continues; above the trees behind it rises a tall fire-lookout tower, and a torii gate can be seen midway. Small boats float on the river and people come and go along the bank.

This is a picture of strong color contrast, layering the vermilion of the pagoda with the green of its eaves, the blue of the river, and the green of the embankment. By cutting the pagoda at the edge of the frame and sending the river diagonally across, the artist creates a high viewpoint looking down. From a position as lofty as the top of the pagoda, it gives a sweeping view of the spread of the town.

Zojoji was the Tokugawa family temple, and its five-story pagoda was a famous sight of Edo. The residence across the river was the upper residence of the Arima clan of Kurume, and its tall fire-lookout tower was known as the tallest in Edo; worshippers are said to have gathered at the Suitengu shrine within the residence.

This print belongs to the summer section. Zojoji also appears in "Shiba Shinmei Shrine and Zojoji Temple" in the series. The composition of putting a pagoda in the foreground to show the distance beyond is shared with pictures such as the one depicting the pagoda of Sensoji.