"Sazai hall Temple of Five Hundred Rakan" from 36 views of Mt.Fuji series by Hokusai

Description : 

Katsushika Hokusai’s View from the Sazaidō of the Five Hundred Rakan Temple presents a panoramic scene of Edo viewed from one of its most unusual architectural marvels. The Sazaidō (literally “turban-shell hall”) was a three-story spiral structure within the precincts of Gohyaku Rakan-ji Temple, located in Honjo—today’s Kōtō ward in eastern Tokyo. Built in 1741, the hall’s internal ramp spiraled upward without retracing steps, allowing pilgrims to complete a circuit of one hundred Kannon statues in a single continuous ascent and descent.

In this composition, Hokusai captures visitors gathered on the upper balcony, gazing across the Sumida River toward the distant Mount Fuji. The figures, dressed in bright Edo fashions, turn their backs to us, guiding our gaze outward through their posture and gestures. Fuji appears small but perfectly framed in the open horizon, emphasizing its spiritual distance yet omnipresence in Edo life.

The perspective lines of the balcony floorboards and railing converge toward the mountain, while the diagonals of the roof reinforce depth and stability. Hokusai’s precision here blends architectural geometry with emotional resonance—the marvel of human construction juxtaposed with the immovable natural icon of Japan.

Although the Sazaidō no longer exists, its memory survives through prints like this. It reminds us of Edo as a city fascinated by both invention and devotion, where religion, leisure, and design coexisted seamlessly. Hokusai transforms a sightseeing moment into a meditation on perspective—both visual and spiritual.

Hokusai Katsushika : 
Known simply as Hokusai, was a Japanese Ukiyo-e artist of the Edo period, active as a painter and printmaker. 
He is best known for the woodblock print series Thirty six views of Mt Fuji, which includes the iconic print The Great Wave Off Kanagawa. Hokusai was instrumental in developing Ukiyo-e from a style of portraiture largely focused on courtesans and actors into a much broader style of art that focused on landscapes, plants, and animals. His works are thought to have had a significant influence on Vincent Van Gogh and Claude Monete during the wave of Japonism that spread across Europe in the late 19th century.

REPRODUCTION : In the 20th century, artists and publishers collaborated to recreate famous woodblock prints, providing them to Japanese collectors and Westerners seeking rare designs.
New blocks were made, and artisan printers painstakingly printed each color using the same method as the 19th-century originals.

Limited edition lithograph
Hand-printed, numbered 180/300 on margin.
Size : 
410mm x 600mm