ANCIENT TEMPLES IN JAPAN | 土門拳 日本古寺

• Ken Domon 土門拳
• Seisodo 青艸堂
• C$ 115

Seisodo published a photo book titled "A pilgrimage to Buddha" focusing solely on Buddha statues, selected from Ken Domon's masterpiece photo book "Pilgrimage to Ancient Temples" and other photo books featuring ancient temples by Ken Domon. This book, "Ancient Temples in Japan" serves as its counterpart, focusing on the architecture. It features a selection of 170 photos of temple halls, pagodas, gardens, tea rooms, treasures, as well as stone structures and stone Buddha statues, from 25 temples. Among them, there are 11 Unesco World Heritage sites, 40 National Treasures, and 17 Important Cultural Properties. Many of the contents are rarely open to the public.

Starting from the serene and mysterious Muroji Temple nestled in the deep greenery of Mount Muro, revered as a sacred sanctuary since ancient times, the book showcases various architectural details imbued with the simple yet powerful and orderly solemnity that ancient temples possess. These include the colonnades of Horyuji Temple, which has preserved its original form for over 1,300 years as the world's oldest wooden structure, the skirt roof of Yakushiji Temple East Pagoda from the Nara period, the moss garden of Saihoji Temple that profoundly influenced later generations of Japanese gardens, the Both Worlds Mandala of Toji Temple considered the oldest extant colored mandala in Japan, the Tai-an, the oldest tea room created by Sen no Rikyu, and the intricate mother-of-pearl work of the Golden Hall of Chusonji Temple, adorned inside and out with gold leaf. Through these photographs, the technical prowess and aesthetic sensibilities of the master carpenters of the time can be glimpsed, while also vividly conveying the photographer Ken Domon's sensitivity in capturing these architectural marvels with exquisite composition.

Ken Domon

1909-1990. Born in Sakata City, Yamagata. Domon's background in poverty attracted him to communist activities in his youth, with many public records. Starting work with Kotaro Miyauchi's photo studio in 1933, Domon continued his photographic career with Nippon Kobo (run by Yonosuke Natori) between 1935 to 1939, where he started news photography. Domon established himself with works of realistic photo-documentary such as "Hiroshima" (1958) and "The Children in Chikuho" (1960). From 1968, after suffering from a stroke that paralyzed half of his body, Domon continued photographing from a wheelchair with his assistants' support. His life's work, "Pilgrimage Through Historic Temples," was first published in 1963 and completed in 1975 with the 5th volume. Domon's works acquired critical acclaim both in Japan and overseas, and had a great influence on postwar Japanese photography. Domon was awarded the Kikuchi Kan Award (1971), and the Medal with Purple Ribbon (Japan, 1973). His entire photographic works were gifted to his hometown, Sakata City, in 1983 to be housed at Ken Domon Museum of Photography.