About a kilometer south of Oji in Tokyo's present-day Kita Ward, there used to be a pond called Naga-ike, from which a small river ran southeast about 6 km to feed Shinobazu Pond in Ueno. Named the Yata, the short but abundant flow was usefully exploited to support horticulture and rice-farming in its valley.
On the south-facing side of the valley's upper reaches, there was a thriving Buddhist temple called Muryo-ji, which is depicted in the accompanying 1830s woodblock print by Hasegawa Settan.
From the front gate facing idyllic farm fields, in the print we see a straight approachway leading to the thatched main hall. Behind this building, paths and stone steps wind up through dense stands of pines and cryptomerias toward the inner sanctum and another gate on the high ground. Off to the right, hills piled on hills, shrouded in clouds, form a dramatic backdrop for the quiet temple.