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Sumida Hokusai Museum: A Photographer’s Guide
Katsushika Hokusai is one of Japan’s most famous artists. From his youth until he died in 1849 at 88, he created an incredible catalog of work. Now, he has a museum. If you love ukiyo-e or art in general, this place must be on your bucket list. It is the perfect place to celebrate this genius.
Some of Hokusai’s famous works
- Boy on Mout Fuji
- Fine Wind Clear Morning
- South Wind at Clear Dawn
- The Ghost of Oiwa
- The Great Wave off Kanagawa
What is the Sumida Hokusai Museum experience like?
Actually, its name is the Sumida Hokusai Museum. You buy your tickets on the first floor, then take the elevator to the fourth floor. There are two types of tickets on sale, permanent and temporary. The latter changes regularly, so consult the website to see what is on display.
The permanent and temporary exhibits are on the fourth floor, but the latter is also on the third. So if you buy both tickets, you must go up and down some stairs.
The permanent exhibit is tiny but packed with a lot of high-quality art. You can see many copies of his famous works there. I wouldn’t let the size of the place worry you, as the displays are excellent.
Many of his prints are small too. Some are comparable in size to the Mona Liza. So don’t go expecting to see huge works of art. A few are large, but the majority are not.
The only thing I didn’t appreciate was the lack of stairs from the first floor. You have to take the elevator. Some people might prefer taking the stairs as it is only a short distance and preferable to waiting.
What can you learn at the Sumida Hokusai Museum?
- The museum isn’t only about the art. You can also learn about the process of making ukiyo-e. During their heyday, making ukiyo-e was quite sophisticated. Publishing houses created them on an almost industrial-level scale. The museum goes into considerable depth to teach this.
- You can learn about his works from multi-lingual touch-panel displays. If you don’t speak Japanese, don’t worry, as much is in English. Flip through the virtual books of Hokusai’s pictures and learn about their histories.
- For some, you will need at least a working knowledge of Japanese. The one I played with required me to match hiragana characters to parts of a drawing. If you did it successfully, you got to see the entire drawing.
Is photography allowed at the museum?
Yes, it is, but only in the permanent exhibit area. But even there, you cannot photograph some of the art. Those will be marked.
Are there other photo spots near the museum?
- Edo-Tokyo Museum (closed until 2025)
- Japanese Sword Museum
- Tokyo Metropolitan Memorial Hall
- Yasuda Park
Sumida Hokusai Museum details
See its admission fees, opening hours, and location on the official website.
What does the museum look like?
The award-winning Kazuyo Seijima designed the four-story building. The concept was for a museum to be approachable from all sides. It has walkways bisecting the building on ground level leading to the entrance in the middle.
The museum has a modern art look. Minimal? Striking? Stunning? It is all those things, but I was a little bemused by the location. A children’s playground shares the block. It seemed a mismatch. If you have been to the museum, what do you think?
Conclusion
I recommend this museum if you love Katsushika Hokusai and his art. Even only going to the permanent exhibit is worth it. It is the place to go if you want to see some world-famous ukiyo-e. And you’ll be able to take a few photos of his work home with you.