Illustrated Miracles of the Kasuga Deity, Volume 1 Scene 3
Time generally flows from right to left in illustrated handscrolls, but this unusual composition presents two scenes in reverse chronological order. The events depicted on the left side of the illustration occur first: Fujiwara no Yoshikane, who is living in the house built by his ancestor Mitsuhiro, meets Himegami in a dream. Himegami again appears as a noblewoman, and she informs Yoshikane that the bamboo beside his house is the source of the Fujiwara clan’s prosperity. Yoshikane vows to never cut the bamboo and commissions the construction of a shrine in gratitude for Himegami’s message. The right-hand side of the illustration depicts the builders at work. This scene is lauded for its accurate and detailed depictions of contemporary construction techniques.