Autumn Moon at Ishiyama, from Eight views of Lake Biwa

Travelers arrive at a temple by boat and make their way to the gate in the foreground. The main hall and a pagoda are further inside the grounds, on a raised hill emerging from mist. The red color of the temple buildings is mirrored in the red leaves, a symbol of autumn.

This rare early print by Harunobu uses a very limited color selection and was made before his pioneering use of full-color printing in the 1760s. The scene shows Ishiyama temple, a site traditionally associated with the influential 11th-century novel The Tale of Genji. Harunobu’s depiction of the site appears more imagined than realistic. The accompanying poem reads: “Ishiyama! The moonlight that shines on the Bay of Niho is none other than that at both Suma and Akashi!” The poem references settings in the Tale and emphasizes a connection with distant friends or lovers—all see the same moon.