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Kaminarimon’s electric lantern
Winter
The view from Kaminarimon gate towards the Sensoji is an excellent example of Hiroshige’s sense for composition. As every detail of the Kaminarimon Gate is significant, and each statue and lantern within the temple grounds have their own unique history, this picture was created to represent the latest iteration of the gate. The name “Matsushita Electric Industrial Company” (now known as Panasonic) carved into the round the base of the large lantern is the main giveaway of the latest rebuild.
Notes
The Kaminarimon Gate itself was built for the first time in 941 by a military commander called Taira no Kinmasa, as a donation to the province of Musashi (the old name of the area corresponding to nowadays’ northern Tokyo). The gate has been reconstructed several times after being damaged by fire. The current structure of the gate dates from 1960.