葛 飾 北 斎

KATSUSHIKA HOKUSAI

富嶽三十六景

THIRTY-SIX VIEWS OF MOUNT FUJI

Contents

  • About Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji 
  • When was it produced?
  • What is Fugaku Sanjurokkei?
  • Why Mount Fuji?
  • The beauty of beroai blue fascinates the world
  • Highlights of the series
  • Woodblock prints list

About Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji

Series
Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji
(Fugaku Sanjurokkei)

Artist
Katsushika Hokusai

Total number of prints
All forty-six prints

Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (富嶽三十六景, Fugaku Sanjurokkei) is a series of woodblock prints illustrating the various landscapes of Mount Fuji, and it is among the most famous works of ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai (葛飾北斎: 1760-1849). 

The series, as a whole, is also considered to be an iconic representation of the landscape ukiyo-e genre.
Many of you may recognize some of the pieces even if you aren’t familiar with their exact titles.
The famous print of the Great Wave is known to many people around the world, but it is just one of the 46 scenes in the series.

Under the Wave off Kanagawa (The Great Wave) by Katsushika Hokusai

With these intriguing facts, it’s no wonder people around the world find Hokusai’s famous landscape series so inspiring. Of the series, the three prints Under the Wave off Kanagawa (神奈川沖浪裏, Kanagawa Oki Nami Ura), South Wind, Clear Sky (凱風快晴, Gaifu Kaisei), and Rainstorm Beneath the Summit (山下白雨, Sanka Hakuu) have acquired high acclaim both in Japan and abroad as works of exceptional artistic quality; these three are sometimes called the Sandai Yakumono (三大役物, the "three great highlights").

Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa Oki Nami Ura) by Katsushika Hokusai

Under the Wave off Kanagawa (神奈川沖浪裏, Kanagawa Oki Nami Ura)

South Wind, Clear Sky (Gaifu Kaisei) by Katsushika Hokusai

South Wind, Clear Sky (凱風快晴, Gaifu Kaisei)

Rainstorm Beneath the Summit (Sanka Hakuu) by Katsushika Hokusai

Rainstorm Beneath the Summit (山下白雨, Sanka Hakuu)

Highlights of the series

Kajikazawa in Kai Province by Katsushika Hokusai, printed in shades of beroai (Prussian blue)

1. Beroai

Most of the works of the Mount Fuji series are painted using beroai, and of those prints, ten are aizuri-e, a type of ukiyo-e printed in varying shades of beroai blue.
Aizuri-e is a type of ukiyo-e printed only with different tints and shades of blue or with minimal use of an additional red and/or yellow. 

Nihonbashi Bridge in Edo by Katsushika Hokusai

2. Hokusai’s mastery of artistic expression

The woodblock prints capture the various facets of Mount Fuji as it shifts its appearance at every moment depending on the location, season, and weather condition. However, for some prints — most famously the Great Wave — even scholars cannot pinpoint the actual location, meaning that not all the sceneries depicted in the prints were true to life. Many of the works are said to be created through Hokusai’s elaborate imagination inspired by actual views and past works of landmark impressions. What gives this idyllic series its distinct character is that Hokusai depicted Mount Fuji with his remarkable composition skills and mastery of artistic expression. He intentionally altered the arrangement of the pictorial elements to capture the beauty and ferocity of nature. 

Fujimigahara in Owari Province by Katsushika Hokusai, a cooper at work inside a large barrel

3. Use of perspective

In the Edo period, ukiyo-e artists typically used tints and shades of colors to create depth; however, in this series of prints, Hokusai made bold and inventive use of European-style perspective — a technique already known in Japan through uki-e ("perspective pictures") since the 1740s.
Hokusai builds a sense of depth in almost every print of the Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, combining traditional Japanese composition with vanishing-point and Western-style perspective.
He artfully employed these and a variety of other techniques to highlight Mount Fuji, the primary subject matter, in its full glory.

Hokusai creatively experimented with and adopted daring compositions, eccentric ideas, and many other artistic innovations to keep people engaged in the Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. Fugaku Sanjurokkei is a treasure trove of masterpieces. Do enjoy all 46 idyllic impressions of Mount Fuji created by Hokusai.

List of Woodblock Prints

Under the Wave off Kanagawa (also known as The Great Wave off Kanagawa), No. 1 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,1

Under the Wave off Kanagawa also known as The Great Wave off Kanagawa

神奈川沖浪裏, Kanagawa Oki Nami Ura

South Wind, Clear Sky, No. 2 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,2

South Wind, Clear Sky

凱風快晴, Gaifu Kaisei

Rainstorm Beneath the Summit, No. 3 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,3

Rainstorm Beneath the Summit

山下白雨, Sanka Hakuu

Under the Mannen Bridge at Fukagawa, No. 4 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,4

Under the Mannen Bridge at Fukagawa

深川万年橋下, Fukagawa Mannenbashi Shita

Fujimigahara in Owari Province, No. 5 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,5

Fujimigahara in Owari Province

尾州不二見原, Bishu Fujimigahara

Detail page coming soon

Senju in Musashi Province, No. 6 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,6

Senju in Musashi Province

武州千住, Bushu Senju

Detail page coming soon

Surugadai in Edo, No. 7 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,7

Surugadai in Edo

東都駿台, Toto Sundai

Detail page coming soon

The Enza-no-matsu Pine Tree at Aoyama, No. 8 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,8

The Enza-no-matsu Pine Tree at Aoyama

青山円座松, Aoyama Enza No Matsu

Detail page coming soon

Inumetoge Pass in Kai Province, No. 9 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,9

Inumetoge Pass in Kai Province

甲州犬目峠, Koshu Inume Toge

Detail page coming soon

The Tamagawa River in Musashi Province, No. 10 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,10

The Tamagawa River in Musashi Province

武州玉川, Bushu Tamagawa

Detail page coming soon

Shichirigahama Beach in Sagami Province, No. 11 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,11

Shichirigahama Beach in Sagami Province

相州七里浜, Soshu Shichirigahama

Detail page coming soon

Tsukuda Island in Musashi Province, No. 12 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,12

Tsukuda Island in Musashi Province

武陽佃島, Buyo Tsukudajima

Detail page coming soon

Ushibori in Hitachi Province, No. 13 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,13

Ushibori in Hitachi Province

常州牛堀, Joshu Ushibori

Detail page coming soon

Kajikazawa in Kai Province, No. 14 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,14

Kajikazawa in Kai Province

甲州石班澤, Koshu Kajikazawa

Detail page coming soon

Lake Suwa in Shinano Province, No. 15 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,15

Lake Suwa in Shinano Province

信州諏訪湖, Shinshu Suwako

Detail page coming soon

Mishima Pass in Kai Province, No. 16 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,16

Mishima Pass in Kai Province

甲州三島越, Koshu Mishima Goe

Detail page coming soon

In the Mountains of Totoumi Province, No. 17 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,17

In the Mountains of Totoumi Province

遠江山中, Totoumi Sanchu

Detail page coming soon

Ejiri in Suruga Province, No. 18 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,18

Ejiri in Suruga Province

駿州江尻, Sunshu Ejiri

Detail page coming soon

Honganji Temple at Asakusa in Edo, No. 19 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,19

Honganji Temple at Asakusa in Edo

東都浅艸本願寺, Toto Asakusa Honganji

Detail page coming soon

Umezawa Manor in Sagami Province, No. 20 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,20

Umezawa Manor in Sagami Province

相州梅澤左, Soshu Umezawa Hidari

Detail page coming soon

Snowy Morning at Koishikawa, No. 21 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,21

Snowy Morning at Koishikawa

礫川雪ノ旦, Koishikawa Yuki No Ashita

Detail page coming soon

Shimomeguro, No. 22 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,22

Shimomeguro

下目黒, Shimomeguro

Detail page coming soon

Yoshida on the Tokaido Road, No. 23 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,23

Yoshida on the Tokaido Road

東海道吉田, Tokaido Yoshida

Detail page coming soon

Sea Lane off Kazusa Province, No. 24 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,24

Sea Lane off Kazusa Province

上総ノ海路, Kazusa No Unaji

Detail page coming soon

The Coast of Nobuto, No. 25 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,25

The Coast of Nobuto

登戸浦, Nobutoura

Detail page coming soon

Nihonbashi Bridge in Edo, No. 26 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,26

Nihonbashi Bridge in Edo

江戸日本橋, Edo Nihonbashi

Detail page coming soon

Hodogaya on the Tokaido Road, No. 27 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,27

Hodogaya on the Tokaido Road

東海道程ヶ谷, Tokaido Hodogaya

Detail page coming soon

Hakone Lake in Sagami Province, No. 28 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,28

Hakone Lake in Sagami Province

相州箱根湖水, Soshu Hakone Kosui

Detail page coming soon

Sekiya Village on the Sumida River, No. 29 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,29

Sekiya Village on the Sumida River

隅田川関屋の里, Sumidagawa Sekiya No Sato

Detail page coming soon

Reflection in the Surface of Lake Misaka in Kai Province, No. 30 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,30

Reflection in the Surface of Lake Misaka in Kai Province

甲州三坂水面, Koshu Misaka Suimen

Detail page coming soon

The Mitsui shop at Surugacho in Edo, No. 31 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,31

The Mitsui shop at Surugacho in Edo

江戸駿河町三井見世略図, Edo Surugacho Mitsui Miseryakuzu

Detail page coming soon

Viewing Sunset over the Ryogokubashi Bridge from the Onmayagashi River Bank, No. 32 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,32

Viewing Sunset over the Ryogokubashi Bridge from the Onmayagashi River Bank

御厩川岸より両国橋夕陽見, Ommayagashi Yori Ryogokubashi Sekiyou Wo Miru

Detail page coming soon

The Sazaido Hall of the Gohyaku Rakanji Temple, No. 33 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,33

The Sazaido Hall of the Gohyaku Rakanji Temple

五百らかん寺さゞゐどう, Gohyakurakanji Sazaido

Detail page coming soon

Waterwheel at Onden, No. 34 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,34

Waterwheel at Onden

隠田の水車, Onden No Suisha

Detail page coming soon

Enoshima in Sagami Province, No. 35 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,35

Enoshima in Sagami Province

相州江の嶌, Soshu Enoshima

Detail page coming soon

Simplified View of Tagonoura Beach at Ejiri on the Tokaido Road, No. 36 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,36

Simplified View of Tagonoura Beach at Ejiri on the Tokaido Road

東海道江尻田子の浦略図, Tokaido Ejiri Tagonoura Ryakuzu

Detail page coming soon

Tatekawa at Honjo, No. 37 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,37

Tatekawa at Honjo

本所立川, Honjo Tatekawa

Detail page coming soon

Mount Fuji seen in the Distance from Senju Pleasure Quarter, No. 38 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,38

Mount Fuji seen in the Distance from Senju Pleasure Quarter

従千住花街眺望ノ不二, Senju Hanamachi Yori Chobo No Fuji

Detail page coming soon

Mount Fuji from Gotenyama at Shinagawa on the Tokaido Road, No. 39 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,39

Mount Fuji from Gotenyama at Shinagawa on the Tokaido Road

東海道品川御殿山ノ不二, Tokaido Shinagawa Gotenyama No Fuji

Detail page coming soon

Nakahara in Sagami Province, No. 40 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,40

Nakahara in Sagami Province

相州仲原, Soshu Nakahara

Detail page coming soon

Mount Fuji from the Tea plantation at Katakura in Suruga Province, No. 41 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,41

Mount Fuji from the Tea plantation at Katakura in Suruga Province

駿州片倉茶園ノ不二, Sunshu Katakura Chaen No Fuji

Detail page coming soon

Ono-shinden in Suruga Province, No. 42 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,42

Ono-shinden in Suruga Province

駿州大野新田, Sunshu Onoshinden

Detail page coming soon

Mount Fuji from Kanaya on the Tokaido Road, No. 43 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,43

Mount Fuji from Kanaya on the Tokaido Road

東海道金谷ノ不二, Tokaido Kanaya No Fuji

Detail page coming soon

Dawn at Isawa in Kai Province, No. 44 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,44

Dawn at Isawa in Kai Province

甲州伊沢暁, Koshu Isawa No Akatsuki

Detail page coming soon

Back View of Mount Fuji from the Minobu River, No. 45 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,45

Back View of Mount Fuji from the Minobu River

身延川裏不二, Minobugawa Ura Fuji

Detail page coming soon

Pilgrims Climbing in the Mountain, No. 46 of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai

No,46

Pilgrims Climbing in the Mountain

諸人登山, Morobito Tozan

Detail page coming soon