1. Hokusai Museum
    Photo: Yosuke Owashi | Sumida Hokusai Museum
  2. Hokusai Museum
    Photo: Yosuke Owashi
  3. Hokusai Museum
    Photo: Yosuke Owashi

The Sumida Hokusai Museum

  • Art | Galleries
  • Ryogoku
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Time Out says

Spending a day in Ryogoku became even more of a necessity for tourists from November 2016, when the neighbourhood that already housed the Edo-Tokyo Museum and the Kokugikan saw the opening of a museum dedicated entirely to Edo-era Sumida's most famous son – ukiyo-e superstar Katsushika Hokusai. In addition to viewing displays of the woodblock print wizard's countless masterpieces, you can learn about Hokusai the man, his life in Sumida and what the city looked like between 1760, when Hokusai was born in Katsushika, and 1849, when he died and was buried at Seikyoji Temple in Asakusa. Visitors will also want to check out the full-scale master's atelier, a reconstruction based on a painting by Hokusai apprentice Iitsu Tsuyuki.

Details

Address
2-7-2 Kamezawa, Sumida-ku
Tokyo
Transport:
Ryogoku Station (Sobu, Oedo lines)
Opening hours:
9.30am-5.30pm / closed Mon (Tue if Mon is a holiday)

What’s on

Wow, Hokusai! See, Examine, and Discover Ukiyo-e

Ukiyo-e superstar Katsushika Hokusai’s legacy continues to ripple through and beyond the art world even today, centuries after his death – the meme-ification of Under the Wave off Kanagawa being only the most obvious example. But what makes Hokusai a standout among the many Edo-period (1603–1867) masters who captured the lives, dreams and landscapes of the city? This summer, the Sumida Hokusai Museum invites visitors to explore answers to that very question through an interactive exhibition highlighting the craftsmanship of Hokusai and his disciples. ‘Wow, Hokusai!’ encourages close observation, helping viewers notice shared motifs, subtle differences and clever compositional techniques across the artist’s oeuvre. The show zooms in on key elements in Hokusai’s work – from thunderous skies to bustling riverbanks, from swirling waves to architectural wonders – to provoke moments of discovery. As such, it offers a vivid introduction to ukiyo-e and an intimate look into Hokusai’s genius.
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