Do you know what Katsushika Hokusai's "Great Wave off Kanagawa" 神奈川沖浪裏 depicts?

Great wave. Small boats drifting between the waves. Mt.Fuji in the distance.
It is likely that Hokusai did not actually see this scene, but imagined it as he painted it.

Katsushika Hokusai “葛飾北斎” was a Japanese ukiyo-e ”浮世絵“artist who flourished during the 19th century Edo period. He was an incredibly talented painter, illustrator, and printmaker, widely known for his works.

Small Mt. Fuji “富士山”

Mt.Fuji ”富士山“ is the highest mountain in Japan. By drawing it small, the size of the wave is emphasized..

This Mt. Fuji shows that it is spring to early summer. Mt. Fuji with white snow can be seen most beautifully in this season.

I can almost imagine this place too.

Small boats drifting between the waves.

This boat is called Osiokuri-bune(boat)“押送船”

Oshiokuribune is a fast boat that was mainly used to load fish in fishing villages in the Kanto region, mainly in Edo Bay, and transport them to the fish market in Edo (Tokyo) in the modern era.

Hatugatuo “初鰹”

Spring is the season for the first bonito. Hatugatuo ”初鰹“ refers to the first catch of the season of bonito, a type of fish, in Japanese. It is highly valued for its freshness and quality, as it is caught at the beginning of the fishing season when the fish is at its peak condition. The term "Hatugatuo" is specific to Japanese culinary culture and is used to emphasize the significance of the first catch of bonito in seasonal cuisine.

The Edo people were especially fond of the first bonito, and the first bonito was sold at a high price in the Edo market.

They competed to be the first to bring the first bonito to the Edo market by using the “Oshiokuribune”

Great wave

This is the Pacific Ocean off Kanagawa. Will such a big wave happen here?

These waves were painted in Hokusai's image. He strove to paint the waves beautifully.

Edo-kko ”江戸っ子”

Edo-kko”江戸っ子“ refers to people born and raised in Edo (present-day Tokyo) during the Edo period (1603-1868) in Japan.

The stripes of the waves in this painting remind them of the patterns on the body of a bonito.

Bonito is a fish deeply rooted in Japanese culture.