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Asakusa Kannondo Temple, from "Tokyo Fukei series" by Tsuchiya Koitsu

Asakusa Kannondo Temple, from Tokyo Fukei series by Tsuchiya Koitsu

Asakusa Kannondo Temple, from "Tokyo Fukei series"

Tsuchiya Koitsu

Title

Asakusa Kannondo Temple, from "Tokyo Fukei series"

 
Artist

Tsuchiya Koitsu

  1890 - 1949 (biography)
Year
1933 / later printing, circa 1950-63 
Technique
color woodcut 
Image Size
14 1/4 x 9 3/8" image 
Signature
signature and seal, lower left 
Edition Size
not stated 
Annotations
 
Reference
Koitsu Raisonne code: TK-DH-8; illustrated pages 57 and 330 
Paper
heavy, ivory laid Japanese hosho with Doi watermark 
State
published 
Publisher
Doi Hangaten, chop in left margin 
Inventory ID
21529 
Price
SOLD
Description

The enormously popular Asakusa Kannondo Temple (also known as Sensoji Temple) in Tokyo’s Asakusa district figures prominently in the traditional annual calendar of events and festivals, especially during the temple visits at the New Year which attract large crowds.

Legend says that in the year 628, two brothers fished a statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, out of the Sumida River, and even though they put the statue back into the river, it always returned to them. Consequently, Sensoji was built nearby for the goddess of Kannon. The temple was completed in 645, making it Tokyo's oldest temple.

In 1933 Koitsu began a series of twelve image titled the 'Tokyo Fukei Series' (Tokyo Views) were published in a particular order and "Asakusa Kannondo Temple" was published fifth in the series of twelve. The series was completed in November of 1935.

Publisher Doi Sadaichi planned to publish one print each month but the project ended up taking three years. This impression is from a later printing, circa 1950-63.