５９、Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji

TSUKUDA ISLAND IN MUSASHI PROVINCE

Katsushika Hokusai (1760 - 1849)
ca. 1831, Edo period / Woodblock, Nishiki-e
 
Tsukudajima is a small island off the mouth of the Sumida river. The water nurtured ample noodlefish, and many fishermen came here ex-pecting a good catch to be presented to the Sho-gun. A variety of vessels—fishing boats, ferry boats and merchant’s ships—illustrate a vibrant marine culture of the time, with Mt. Fuji in the back ground.

６０、Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji

CUSHION PINE AT AOYAMA

Katsushika Hokusai (1760 - 1849)
ca. 1831, Edo period / Woodblock, Nishiki-e
 
Ryūganji Temple in Jingūmae, Tokyo, had a magnificent pine tree stretching its branches over five meters across, somewhat resembling an old Chinese hat, as tales go. This mound-like pine tree draws a parallel with Mt. Fuji, depicted emphatically in a geometric stroke, placed be-hind the band of mist.

６１、Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji

UNDER MANNEN BRIDGE AT FUKAGAWA

Katsushika Hokusai (1760 - 1849)
ca. 1831, Edo period / Woodblock, Nishiki-e
 
This arched bridge, Man’nen bashi, traverses the Onagi river, a tributary of the Sumida river. Looking up the bridge, the perspective continues to the horizon where Mt. Fuji appears. The bridge also draws a contrast between the dy-namic passers-by above and the tranquil fishing people below.

６２、Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji

SURUGADAI IN EDO

Katsushika Hokusai (1760 - 1849)
ca. 1831, Edo period / Woodblock, Nishiki-e
 
Surugadai was the elevated plain in the Kanda district, from where an unobstructed view of Mt. Fuji could be enjoyed. The path is busy with travelling samurais, merchants and pilgrims, and Mt. Fuji is showing its peak above the rooves of the houses in the foreground.

６３、Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji

WATERWHEEL AT ONDEN

Katsushika Hokusai (1760 - 1849)
ca. 1831, Edo period / Woodblock, Nishiki-e
 
Onden (today’s Harajuku and Aoyama in tokyo) was tranquil countryside. The scene shows a large waterwheels, a distant Mt. Fuji above hazy clouds, crop handlers, and women washing rice. The water is rendered in Hokusai’s characteristic patterned design.

６４、Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji

MORNING AFTER SNOWFALL AT KOISHIKAWA

Katsushika Hokusai (1760 - 1849)
ca. 1831, Edo period / Woodblock, Nishiki-e
 
Koishikawa (Bunkyō-ku,Tokyo) is situated on a hill, commanding a good view of Mt.Fuji. This is the only snowscape in the entire series, depicting a restaurant overlooking the downtown, with Mt.Fuji beyond Kanda River. Three birds in the sky give an accent to the composition dominated by white.

６５、Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji

ROUGH IMPRESSION OF THE MITSUI SHOP IN SURUGA-CHO, EDO

Katsushika Hokusai (1760 - 1849)
ca. 1831, Edo period / Woodblock, Nishiki-e
 
Mitsui Kimono Store (Echigoya), was a pros-perous business. The signboards read “fabrics for kimono”, “braids and threads”, and “cashonly, honest pricing”. The triangles of Mt. Fuji and the roofs dominate the composition, with dynamic elements added by the roofers at work and the kites in the sky.

６６、Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji

SPIRAL TOWER OF THE GOHYAKU-RAKANJI TEMPLE

Katsushika Hokusai (1760 - 1849)
ca. 1831, Edo period / Woodblock, Nishiki-e
 
The Gohyaku-Rakanji Temple was a popular spot in Ōshima, Tokyo. Pilgrims frequented its three-storied Sazaidō pavilion. Notice an ingen-ious visual arrangement: the pilgrims and wom-en with children on the deck all look toward Mt. Fuji, and also the lines created by the roof and floorboards all converge toward the mountain.

６７、Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji

SUNSET VIEW FROM ONMAYA EMBANK-MENT TOWARD RYŌGOKU BRIDGE

Katsushika Hokusai (1760 - 1849)
ca. 1831, Edo period / Woodblock, Nishiki-e
 
Onmayagashi was named after Shōgun’s stables (Onmaya) stuated in Umayabashi (Taitō-ku, Tokyo). While Sumida River had some major briges, ferries were in great demand elsewhere. The print shows Mt. Fuji in blue silhouette at dusc as seen from the ferry port of Onmayagashi. The deep indigo blue often seen in Hokusai’s waves is impressive.

６８、Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji

SHIMOMEGURO

Katsushika Hokusai (1760 - 1849)
ca. 1831, Edo period / Woodblock, Nishiki-e
 
Meguro was a sprawling field with nothing conspicuous except for Meguro Fudō Temple. The scene shows a peasant shouldering a sickle, falcon handlers and Mt. Fuji appearing between the rolling hills. The tones of yellow and green express the pastoral landscape remarkably well.

６９、Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji

NIHONABASHI IN EDO

Katsushika Hokusai (1760 - 1849)
ca. 1831, Edo period / Woodblock, Nishiki-e
 
The central commercial district of Edo, Nihon-bashi, was the starting point of the main high-ways reaching out to every corner of Japan. The scene depicts Mt. Fuji from Nihonbashi Bridge and the heavy traffic on the bridge expressed by heads of people crossing the bridge at the bot-tom of the print. The river and white walls of warehouses are shown in perspective.

７０、Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji

HONGANJI TEMPLE AT ASAKUSA IN EDO

Katsushika Hokusai (1760 - 1849)
ca. 1831, Edo period / Woodblock, Nishiki-e
 
Mt. Fuji is viewed over the tiled roof of the main wing of the temple. The bands of haze show the townscape of the Asakusa district through the gaps with some kites rising above the haze, giv-ing the sense of a strong upward wind.

７１、Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji

UMEZAWA IN SAGAMI PROVINCE

Katsushika Hokusai (1760 - 1849)
ca. 1831, Edo period / Woodblock, Nishiki-e
 
With Mt. Fuji in the background, it depicts five cranes in the foreground, and two flying toward the mountain. The combination of Mt. Fuji and cranes sets this composition in an auspicious theme. The location is believed to be Umezawa in present-day Ninomiya, Kanagawa.

７２、Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji

MISHIMA PASS IN KAI PROVINCE

Katsushika Hokusai (1760 - 1849)
ca. 1831, Edo period / Woodblock, Nishiki-e
 
The path, probably, is a route between Kōfu and Mishima via the Kagosaka Pass. The wide tree in the middle stands against the background of Mt. Fuji in the north view. The depiction of travelers stretching arms to measure the trunk of the tree is humorous. Mt. Fuji is treated with fine hand-applied gradation in indigo blue at the top and in ink over the foot of the mountain.

７３、Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji

KAJIKAZAWA IN KAI PROVINCE

Katsushika Hokusai (1760 - 1849)
ca. 1831, Edo period / Woodblock, Nishiki-e
 
Kajikazawa (Yamanashi prefecture) is a rapid stream where the Fuefuki and Kamanashi Rivers converge into the Fuji River. Hokusai employs the pointillism to render the violent current that splashes. The triangle formed by the rocky cliff and fishrman’s lines refrains with Mt.Fuji. A child sitting beside the fisherman peeks in the basket.

７４、Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji

SHICHIRIGAHAMA BEACH IN SAGAMI PROVINCE

Katsushika Hokusai (1760 - 1849)
ca. 1831, Edo period / Woodblock, Nishiki-e
 
Shichirigahama is a beach in Kamakura, situated on the Pacific coast, backed by small hills. Mt. Fuji appears beyond the village of Koshigoe. To the left is the Enoshima Island, and thunderhead clouds rising above the horizon. Indigo blue dominates the picture.

７５、Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji

USHIBORI IN HITACHI PROVINCE

Katsushika Hokusai (1760 - 1849)
ca. 1831, Edo period / Woodblock, Nishiki-e
 
The scene is set in Ushibori, an idyllic marshland in today’s Ibaraki prefecture. It depicts a house-boat anchored diagonally in the center, which is Hokusai’s favorite composition. Mt. Fuji sores behind the sudden noisreeds. The flying herons surprised by the sudden noise of water dis-charged from the boat give an animated touch to the scene.