Gezicht op het Biwameer vanaf de Mii-dera c. 1895 - 1905

Kōzaburō Tamamura created this hand-colored albumen print, "View of Lake Biwa from Mii-dera Temple," capturing more than just a landscape. The pagoda, central to this view, is no mere structure, but a profound symbol. Throughout Asia, the pagoda evolved from the stupa, originally a burial mound, into a multi-tiered tower representing the cosmos. Its tiers echo the levels of spiritual ascent, a ladder between earth and the heavens. Notice the roofs with their upturned eaves, a stylistic echo of ancient Chinese architecture, designed not just for rain deflection but to ward off evil spirits. This very design resurfaces across centuries. The enduring power of such imagery speaks to our shared human quest for order and meaning, a visual echo resonating through time.