Opened in November 2016, the ultra-modern Sumida Hokusai Museum is dedicated entirely to Edo-era Sumida's most famous son – ukiyo-e superstar Katsushika Hokusai, who single-handedly defined Japanese art for the world in the nineteenth century. A temple to the Japanese artist's work, this small but excellent museum features Japanese wood block prints of "the floating world" including the famous Great Wave off Kanagawa and Red Fuji. Designed by Kazuyo Sejima, the five-story cultural landmark broken up by angular cut-outs designed to bring light into the structure with bright, lofty exhibition spaces, features seven permanent exhibits as well as a special exhibition of 'Hokusai’s Bridges' which opened while we were in Tokyo.
The first section of the exhibition presents bridges depicted by Hokusai and his pupils including ”Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces”, a series regarded as one of Hokusai’s masterpieces. In the second section, the focus was on bridges in Sumida City and how bridges developed from Hokusai’s day to the present day. For most of his life, Hokusai took his inspiration from everyday life, creating lively, colourful depictions of people and animated street scenes, marked by a lighthearted, often humorous, mood. A brilliant artist, ukiyo-e painter and print maker, Hokusai is thought to have produced 30,000 woodcuts and paintings during his life, with much of his most famous work not even begun until he was in his 70s. The first Japanese artist to be internationally recognized, Katsushika Hokusai continues to inspire artists around the world.
'Telescope' from Hokusai's series 'Seven Habits' from 1801-1804
Bound prints of 'Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji
Hokusai Sketches, Volume 13 with image of pouncing tiger
The Great Wave, created by Katsushika Hokusai in 1831, remains the most iconic
and reproduced non-Western image in art
'Yoshitsune Uma arai no taki Falls at Yoshino in Yamato Province'
from the series 'A Tour of Waterfalls' from 1833
Fine Wind, Clear Morning, also known as Red Fuji, is a wood block print by Hokusai,
part of his Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji series from c. 1830 to 1832
Interior of Sumida Hokusai Museum with interactive touch-screens
Lifesize wax model of Hokusai at work in his studio
'Hokusai's Bridge: Sumida Bridge - The Full Span' special exhibition at the Sumida Museum
Wondrous Views of Famous Bridges in All the Provinces: Kintai Bridge, Suo Province from 1834
The Suspension Bridge on the Border of Hida and Etchū Provinces
Old View of the Pontoon Bridge at Sano in Kōzuke Province,
from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces
The Arched Bridge at Kameido Tenjin Shrine,
from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces
Ancient View of Yatsuhashi in Mikawa Province
from the series Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces
Bridge at Fukui in Echizen Province, from the series
Remarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces
Koume Embankment, from the series One Hundred Famous Views of Edo,
by Utagawa Hiroshige
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