Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on June 2010

Adorning postage stamps and guidebooks, Hokusai’s Great Wave off the Coast of Kanagawa is perhaps the most iconic artwork ever to emerge from Japan. However, it wasn’t until the ukiyo-e artist was in his 70s that his series “Thirty-Six Views of Mt. Fuji” brought him widespread acclaim. For the 250th anniversary of Hokusai’s birth, the Ota Museum in Harajuku examines his lengthy career, covering the full trajectory of his output in two parts. The first, “Ever-Changing Talent,” offers a look at his younger representations of beauties and kabuki actors, while the second, “Later Years: Thirty-Six Views of Mt. Fuji,” presents the landmark series in its entirety.

Ukiyo-e Ota Memorial Museum of Art
Hokusai and the Age. Until July 25, free (MS and under)/¥700 (HS, univ)/¥1,000 (adult). 1-10-10 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku. Tel: 03-5777-8600. Open Tue-Sun 10:30am-5:30pm, closed Mon. Nearest stn: Harajuku, Omotesando exit. www.ukiyoe-ota-muse.jp