Shinto Shrine Torii Gate at Mt. Koya, Japan

Hand-held, taken in Sept. 2004 with a Leica M6TTL and 50mm f/2

Summicron, skylight filter, and Fuji Provia 100 film. Overcast day

with light drizzle. If you're traveling in Japan and can get to Mt.

Koya (south of Osaka), this is one of the best locations to

photograph numerous Busddhist temples, and the massive 800 year-old

graveyard dedicated to the Shingon Buddhism sect.

Thanks for sharing this unusual (to Western eyes) scene, and explanation. Technically, its difficult shot, and, frankly hard to get excited about as a photographic image. I'm left wondering if you couldn't get s more dramatoc shot byaltering your positon and focal length - either very close up and wide angle, or further back with shallow DOF and a telephoto.

Image suffers due to lack of better sharpness and composition.