87. Benten Shrine at the Inokashira Pond 1857

This woodblock print, "Benten Shrine at the Inokashira Pond" made by Utagawa Hiroshige, captures a tranquil scene dominated by the sacred Benten shrine. This shrine is dedicated to the goddess Benten, a deity of wealth, music, and knowledge, nestled amidst the serene waters of Inokashira Pond. Notice how water and shrines are symbolically charged throughout history. Water, often linked to purification and renewal, finds echoes in the sacred pools of ancient Greece and Rome. Shrines, too, serve as focal points of spiritual and cultural memory. The symbolism of the divine feminine embodied by Benten is also present in other cultures with their own goddesses of wisdom and prosperity. This image evokes a sense of peace and reverence, deeply intertwined with the cyclical rhythms of nature and human spirituality. It echoes through time and space, reminding us of the enduring human quest for meaning and connection.