Katsushika Hokusai 葛飾 北斎

Katsushika Hokusai was born over 260 years ago in

a city that would later be renamed as Tokyo,
which is a city in Japan. Japan is a country in Asia.
Hokusai grew up in a family of artisans. Hokusai
began painting at the age of six. When he turned
12, his father sent him to work in a book shop
where the books were made from wood-cut
blocks. A few years later, he became an
apprentice to learn wood carving. At 18 years old,
he entered the studio of Katsukawa Shunsho,
where he learned how to use woodblocks to
create prints and paintings of actors and other
people. Over time, he painted and printed art
showing the daily lives of Japanese people,
created collections of beautiful landscapes,
illustrated books, and created a variety of art
manuals. In fact, during his lifetime, he created
over 30,000 pieces of artwork! Around the age of
60, he created a collection of prints called, Thirty-
six Views of Mount Fiji, which would become his
most famous work. Hokusai is often referred to as
the greatest Japanese artist of all time.

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 Katsushika Hokusai’s Artwork:

Title: Under the Wave off Kanagawa

From the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjūrokkei)
Date: 1830-1832

Title: A Peasant Crossing a Bridge

From the series, A True Mirror of Chinese and
Japanese Poems
Date: Late 1830s

Title: Sparrows and Chrysanthemums

Date: 1825
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Additional Fun Facts to Share

• Artists often use different names throughout their careers. Hokusai used over thirty different
names during his time as an artist!
• During his lifetime, Hokusai had over 50 students study art with him.
• Hokusai added ten pieces to his collection, Thirty-six Views of Mount Fiji, after it was initially
created for a total of forty-six pieces.
• Hokusai had two sons and three daughters. His daughter later became a painter.

Suggested follow up activities:

• Locate Japan using the Asia puzzle map. Learn the name of other countries in Asia.
• Read the poem, “A Wave” by Gussie Osborne. If you enjoy it, learn the poem by heart.
• Use watercolors to create a landscape painting.
• Explore printing using a paper towel roll, celery stalks, or wooden blocks.

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