Jōruri-ji Temple

Hirayama made his life’s work depicting the Silk Road. With Japan as its eastern terminus, one area of strong interest for Hirayama were the Buddhist temples located in Kyoto, the former capital city. In this piece, light radiates from Jōruri-ji Temple in the dim early evening, revealing a beautiful Jōdo-shiki, or Pure Land, garden. The light from the main hall is reminiscent of the arrival of Amida Buddha. Hirayama painted this image over a base layer of gold. By leaving a small area of it visible, he creates the illusion of light. The effect in this painting can be considered one of his most successful implementations of the technique.