Hodogaya
Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji
Katsushika Hokusai
Artwork Description
This print depicts Hodogaya, the fourth post station from Nihonbashi along the historic Tōkaidō road. During the Edo period, Hodogaya served as an important stop for travelers moving between Edo and Kyoto.
The composition captures both movement and observation. Travelers of different backgrounds—an elegantly carried woman in a palanquin, itinerant monks, and pedestrians—occupy the road, revealing the social diversity of the Tōkaidō. The scene is neither chaotic nor ceremonial; it is structured activity.
Nearby Shinanosaka was known for its old pine trees and celebrated vantage points from which Mount Fuji could be seen. Fuji appears in the distance, integrated into the landscape rather than imposed upon it. It anchors the horizon while human traffic unfolds in the foreground.
Hokusai emphasizes the rhythm of passage. The road curves gently, guiding the eye through layers of space. Pine trunks introduce vertical accents, balancing the horizontal sweep of land and sky. Through this interplay, the print becomes less a topographical record and more a study of movement within continuity.
Hodogaya represents the living artery of Edo Japan—where pilgrimage, commerce, and everyday travel intersect under the distant constancy of Mount Fuji.
About Katsushika Hokusai
Katsushika Hokusai was one of the most influential ukiyo-e artists of the Edo period. Active as both painter and printmaker, he expanded ukiyo-e beyond portraits into landscapes and scenes of daily life.
In Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, Hokusai redefined landscape through structural framing, spatial compression, and the integration of human activity. Fuji functions not merely as scenery, but as a silent constant within a changing world.
Reproduction
This work is a 20th century lithographic reproduction of Hokusai’s Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji.
It is not an original Edo period woodblock print, but a later limited edition lithograph.
Hand printed and numbered 180/300 in pencil on the lower margin.
Details
Medium: Lithograph
Edition: 180/300
Size: 410 mm × 600 mm
All artworks are sold as shown in the photographs.
