"Umezawa in Sagami Province" from 36 views of Mt.Fuji series by Hokusai

Description : 

This print, Sōshū Umezawa‑hidari (often read as Umezawa Manor in Sagami Province), is one of the Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai, depicting a region near present-day Ninomiya, Kanagawa along the Tōkaidō.

What distinguishes this composition is the absence of human figures—instead, the scene is occupied by a serene landscape, Mount Fuji in the background, and auspicious cranes in the foreground. Five cranes feed by a marsh, while two ascend toward the sky. The crane is a traditional symbol of longevity and good fortune.

Mount Fuji rises softly in shades of blue, merging into the sky, with bands of pale pink clouds. The dominant blue palette (aizuri style influence) gives the print a calm, spiritual atmosphere.

Interestingly, the “hidari (左)” character in the title is considered a carving or printing error; some scholars argue the intended character was “zai / shō (荘／庄)”, meaning “manor” or “estate.”

Through the graceful interplay of landscape, symbolic animals, and atmospheric subtlety, Hokusai elevates the scene beyond a simple depiction—embodying nature, auspice, and contemplative quietude.

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