The Sumida Hokusai Museum, located in Tokyo’s Sumida Ward, is dedicated to the life and works of Katsushika Hokusai, a renowned Edo-period artist. This contemporary museum, notable for its striking architecture, offers a deep dive into Hokusai’s influential art, bringing his legacy to life in the heart of his hometown.
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Location:
The Sumida Hokusai Museum is situated in the Kamezawa area, Sumida City, Tokyo, Japan.
The museum is very near to Ryogoku station. It is 5 minutes on foot from the station to the museum.
Besides, the area is famous for the Tokyo Edo Museum, Ryogoku Kokugikan National Sumo Stadium, Japanese Sword Musem, and Sumida Fireworks Museum, which are within 5 minutes walking distance from the Sumida Hokusai Museum.
History:
Sumida Ward opened the Sumida Hokusai Museum on November 22, 2016, to honor the outstanding artist Katsushika Hokusai, for whom Sumida City citizens feel proud of him and for his great art.
Besides, attracting local and international communities to Sumida City was one of the goals of strengthening Tokyo’s tourism industry.
Kazuyo Sejima, who won a Pritzker Architecture Prize, designed the museum. It was created in a way that is to be approachable from all sides of the angular, towering structure.
Aluminum alloy was used in the museum’s exterior, known for its highly reflective properties.
Why famous:
The Sumida Hokusai Museum is dedicated to famous artist Katsushika Hokusai.
Hokusai was born in Sumida City and spent almost all his life in Sumida City. The museum showcases his art to look at his incredible artworks.
The 4th floor is a permanent exhibition, where visitors can learn about Hokusai’s life. It also showcases his birthplace in Sumida, where he grew up.
Multi-lingual touch-screen panels provide an interactive, detailed insight into Hokusai’s world while high-quality replicas adorn the walls of his life’s work.
In addition, visitors can see his most famous woodblock prints, such as ‘A Mild Breeze on a Fine Day’ and ‘Under the Wave off Kanagawa.’ His lively working figure portrays his active life.
The 3rd floor of the Sumida Hokusai Museum has a similar temporary exhibition space as the 4th-floor, which rotates in a few months.
Besides, there is a shop and a small library on the ground floor where visitors can buy souvenirs.
Who is Hokusai:
Hokusai was born in an artisan family in the Katsushika district of Edo, Japan, in 1760. His father, Nakajima Ise, was the mirror maker of the shogun.
The childhood name of Hokusai was Tokitaro, who began painting when he was six years old. He got inspiration from his father because his father had to paint designs around the mirrors.
He was a father of two sons and three daughters. His youngest daughter Oyei got her father’s talent, and she became an artist like her father.
Hokusai is famous for his beloved woodblock print series, called ‘Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji,’ published in 1831. The series included the iconic and internationally recognized print, ‘The Great Wave off Kanagawa,’ created in 1820.
He created the ‘Thirty-Six Views’ due to a personal obsession with Mount Fuji. The Great Wave print and Fuji in Clear Weather’ secured his fame within Japan and overseas.
The Great Wave print received popularity even in the Western world.
In 1839, the fire destroyed Hokusai’s studio, and he lost much of his work. But he never stopped. He completed Ducks in a Stream when he was 87 years old.
On April 18, 1849, he died and was buried at the Seikyo-ji in Tokyo, located in Taito Ward.
It is worth visiting the Sumida Hokusai Museum to learn more about this great Japanese artist.
(Note: Learn more about Hokusai)
Hokusai’s inspiration:
What inspired most Hokusai to draw Mt. Fuji is his excellent creative mind. However, one of his inspirations was religious belief and righteous beautiful feelings.
The depiction of Hokusai of Mt. Fuji was from his religious beliefs. Hokusai means ‘North Studio,’ a short form of Hokushinsai or ‘North Star Studio.’
Hokusai followed the Nichiren sect of Buddhism. According to Nichiren sect belief, the North Star is related to the deity Myoken.
On the other hand, Mount Fuji is believed to be related to eternal life, which is found in ‘The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter,’ where a goddess deposits the elixir of life on the peak.
A Monogatari, ‘The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter,’ contains elements of Japanese folklore. An unknown author wrote it in the late 9th or early 10th century during the Heian period, and it is considered the oldest surviving work in the Monogatari form.
Like professor Henry D. Smith, many people said that Hokusai saw Mount Fuji from his religious belief and drew it.
The great thing is visitors can see his preciousness paintings in the Sumida Hokusai Museum.
Famous arts of Hokusai:
- Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji(1826-1833)
- One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji(1834)
- 15-volume collection Hokusai Manga(1814)
Free Exhibitions:
Sumida Hokusai Museum sometimes hosts different kinds of free exhibitions. It includes sweets, souvenirs, craftsmen, arts, and photo exhibitions.
These kinds of exhibitions are good for everyone, including kids. People can learn lots of things during their visit.
At the same time, visitors can learn while they visit the venue and achieve experience in real time.
Most of the time, foreigners can experience Japanese culture more than local people do from such exhibitions.
Suppose, Fujimura-san shows how to make Ishimatsu Ningyou and Akio Ishida-san teaches how to use scissors.
Overall, it’s worth visiting Hokusai Museum’s free exhibitions.
Admission fee:
Adults: 400 yen
However, the group has a commission. It is 320 yen per adult.
Students and seniors (65 & above) are 300 yen. The Group Fee is 240 yen per person, but ID is required.
Opening hours:
09:30 am – 17:30
( Last entry is 30 minutes before closing)
Closed days:
Generally, the closing day is Monday. However, it remains the next day if Monday is National Holiday.
It follows year-end holidays from December 29 – January 1. But, the museum may have a few closing days, depending on the authority.
Access:
Nearest Station: Ryogoku station
5 minutes walk (Oedo Line)
9 minutes walk (JR Sobu line)
Address:
2 Chome-7-2 Kamezawa, Sumida City, Tokyo 130-0014
Official website:
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