Hakone shrine, Japan

A digital painting of the big red torii gate of Hakone shrine which stand in water, seen from the shore. A path leads from the shore, with steps down to the water, and a stone path is built into the water, making it possible for people to walk under the torii gate. The foreground is painted in dark blues, as is the background, which is barely visible behind the bright lights illuminating the torii gate.

Media: Digital.

I have painted several images from Japan, both during my Inktober 2019 series, but also a few individual images. Yet I keep coming back to painting scenery from Japan, sometimes featuring structures from shrines, like this torii gate.

Torii gates tend to be at the entrance of the shinto shrines in Japan. Though some of them even stand in water, like this one in Hakone shrine which stands in Lake Ashi. Local legend tells the story of a dragon that lived in the lake, who would inflict damage on the lives of people living near the Lake. A chief priest of the shrine used his magical powers to change the dragon into a 9-headed protective spirit.