Sanka Hakū
Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji
Katsushika Hokusai
Artwork Description
Sanka Hakū, often translated as “White Rain Beneath the Mountain,” depicts a sudden and violent summer storm descending upon the slopes of Mount Fuji. The lower half of the composition is enveloped in deep shadow, pierced by a sharp flash of lightning that cleaves the darkness. The effect is immediate and electrifying.
Above this storm-ridden landscape, the sky remains clear and luminous. Soft blue tones and gentle clouds hover in calm contrast to the turmoil below. This striking division of space creates a vertical tension within the image. The mountain itself becomes a threshold between serenity and chaos, between illumination and shadow.
Unlike the warmth of Gaifū Kaisei—commonly known as “Red Fuji”—this print is often referred to as “Black Fuji.” Together, the two works form a powerful dialogue within the series. One presents the mountain bathed in morning light; the other reveals it under the force of elemental violence. Through this opposition, Hokusai explores the dual nature of existence: permanence and disruption, clarity and obscurity.
The dramatic contrast of color fields and the sudden diagonal of lightning demonstrate Hokusai’s mastery of visual impact. The storm is not merely meteorological, but expressive. It suggests the intensity of lived experience beneath the eternal presence of the mountain. For this reason, Sanka Hakū is often regarded as one of the most significant compositions within the Thirty-six Views 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 of actors and courtesans into landscapes, nature, and scenes of daily life.
His series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji became one of the most celebrated achievements in Japanese printmaking. Through bold compositional contrasts and innovative color use, Hokusai redefined the expressive potential of landscape within ukiyo-e.
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.
