Artist's commentary
Evening moon over Mikasa
Mt. Wakakusa, Yakushiji Temple, and the Kintetsu Kashihara Line
The mountain-burning festival at Mt. Wakakusa is held at the end of January.
Seen from across the Oike pond, the Yakushi-ji temple and Mt. Wakakusa are a landmark with a beautiful history.
Gazing up at the heavens above, is it the same moon I see, which rises over Mount Mikasa, back in Kasuga?*
In reference to an ancient Nara poem.
*This is a poem by Abe no Nakamaro, who travelled to China as a young boy as part of a mission to later become an important official at the imperial court. After several decades, he decided to come back to Japan. According to a story, this poem was composed during his farewell banquet, when he looked up at the night sky, reminiscing about his homeland. Unfortunately, he never made it back, as his ship got wrecked and he had to return to China, where he lived out the rest of his days.
Kasuga here refers to the area located in the eastern part of Nara City at the foot of Mount Wakakusa (aka Mount Mikasa) seen in the picture. Originally from Nara, Abe no Nakamaro supposedly came to Kasuga Taisha to pray for a safe voyage before his departure to China.