About This Print

A view of the inner shrine at Ise covered in snow.  This print is one of two prints in this collection (see Gardens of the Inner Ise Shrine IHL Cat. #830) depicting views of Ise Jingū.  These two prints bear cover sheets explaining the scenes depicted, as shown below.  The title shown on the cover sheet in the right-most column reads 版画 (woodblock print) 内宮 (Naiku or inner shrine) の雪 (in snow), while the print itself is simply titled 伊勢神宮 (Ise jingū) in the lower right of the image. 


It is reported that this print along with 3 others depicting the Shrine and surrounding area were offered for sale at the Shrine, each with an explanatory cover sheet attached.  Another impression of this image shown below, has untrimmed margins and no cover sheet.

Ise Shrine

Source: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4300.html The Ise Jingū consists of two shrines: the Outer Shrine (Geku), which is dedicated to Toyouke, the Shinto deity of clothing, food and housing, and the Inner Shrine (Naiku), which enshrines the most venerated deity Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess. They are Shinto's most sacred shrines. Naiku and Geku are located several kilometers apart from each other at the foot of densely wooded hills. Unlike most other Shinto shrines, the Ise Shrines are built in a purely Japanese architecture style which shows no influence from the Asian mainland. Naiku is believed to have been established in the 3rd century and Geku in the 5th century.