Open the Drawing Manual―Sketches by Hokusai or Many More

To commemorate its tenth anniversary, The Sumida Hokusai Museum（Sumida City, Tokyo）is now hosting an exhibition featuring Edehon—drawing manuals for anyone who aspires to study drawing, created by Hokusai and his students. And these manuals were published in the form of woodblock printed books.

Among many drawing manuals created by Hokusai, the Hokusai Manga, known as Sketches by Hokusai, remains as one of his most influential works both in Japan and overseas, standing alongside his masterpiece, Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji.

Please explore the enduring appeal and historical value of these remarkable manuals.

The exhibition is on view from March 17th to May 24th, 2026.

Preface: Sketches by Hokusai in Our Time

Sketches by Hokusai was first published in 1814 and concluded with the Vol. 15 in 1878, about thirty years after his death. Since the manual was a long-standing bestseller, it has been reprinted continuously ever since. Remarkably, it is still being produced today using traditional woodblocks that date back to the Edo period.

You can enjoy the enduring legacy of Sketches by Hokusai, which remains in print—and in our hearts—to this day.

Section 1: Hokusai's Unique Drawing Manuals

Hokusai has continued to publish drawing manuals to demonstrate his techniques since the publication of the first volume of My Nonsensial Picture Dictionary in 1810. They include single-stroke drawings, moji-e created by combining written characters and other novel ways of teaching students to draw.

You can enjoy displays of drawing manuals, which are not just books of pictures.

Katsushika Hokusai,

Quick Guide to Drawing, Vol. 1, The Sumida Hokusai Museum (all terms)

This picture explains how to create detailed drawings based on the use of a compass and a ruler to draw the general framework.

Katsushika Hokusai, A Book of New Patterns, The Sumida Hokusai Museum (all terms)

This is a drawing manual of kimono patterns designed for craftsmen.

*The image was taken by Michi at the press preview.

Section 2: Collections of Pictures as Drawing Manuals

This section showcases drawing manuals that use only images to guide students.

They learned how to draw pictures through observation and imitation, which was the standard method of art instruction at the time.

Katsushika Hokusai, Painting Models by Hokusai, The Sumida Hokusai Museum (all terms)

Katsushika Taito II, Illustrated Popular Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Vol. 3, Book 5, The Sumida Hokusai Museum (all terms)

Section 3: Illustrated Books as Drawing Manuals

What is the difference between a "drawing manual" and an "illustrated book"?

The distinction is subtle. While Hokusai’s illustrations for moral and educational texts were primarily created as illustrated books, they also served as essential drawing manuals.

You can see how these woodblock printed books functioned as practical guides for mastering artistic techniques.

Wedgwood Plate with Designs from Sketches by Hokusai and Models for Letter Writing, Illustrated, The Sumida Hokusai Museum

This octagonal plate by Wedgwood features designs rendered in gold against a powder blue ground.

These patterns are depicted directly from Hokusai's illustrated books and Sketches by Hokusai:

・ Sumo wrestlers: Two figures are based on the sumo wrestlers depicted in the book [AAA].

・ The Craftsman: The figure with a bare upper body is a craftsman depicted in the book　　 [BBB].

・ The Painter: The figure holding two brushes is a painter depicted in the book [CCC].

[AAA]

Katsushika Hokusai, Sketches by Hokusai, Vol. 11, The Sumida Hokusai Museum

Non-original work printed on panels will be on display

throughout the period.

[BBB]

Katsushika Hokusai, Models for Letter Writing, Illustrated, Vol. 1, The Sumida Hokusai Museum

 Non-original work printed on panels will be on display

                                        throughout the period.

[CCC]

Katsushika Hokusai, Models for Letter Writing, Illustrated, Vol. 1, The Sumida Hokusai Museum

Non-original work printed on panels will be on display

                                        throughout the period.

Section 4: Sketches by Hokusai in Our Time

This section traces the fascinating history of Sketches by Hokusai, from its original 1814 publication to the latest 2017 edition.

Please follow the journey of these iconic works as they transitioned from the Edo period into the modern day.

Utagawa Kunitoshi, Newly Published All Sorts of Horses, Based on Hokusai's Brushwork, The Sumida Hokusai Museum (1st term)

*This image was taken by Michi at the press preview.

Some of the horses in the color print are based on Sketches by Hokusai, Vol. 6.

Let’s try to find the matching horses in this colored masterpiece!

Katsushika Hokusai, Sketches by Hokusai, Vol. 6, The Sumida Hokusai Museum (all terms)

*This image was taken by Michi at the press preview.

French Majolica Plate with Design from Sketches by Hokusai, The Sumida Hokusai Museum (all terms)

This majolica plate produced by the factory of Hautin & Boulanger at Choisy-le-Roi, south of Paris is believed to have been exhibited at the Paris World's Fair in 1878. The motif is likely to be inspired by Sketches by Hokusai Vol. 10, where a magician conjures dancing figures from his sleeve.

*This image was taken by Michi at the press preview.

Katsushika Hokusai, Sketches by Hokusai, Vol. 10, The Sumida Hokusai Museum (all terms)

＊This image was taken by Michi at the press preview.

Section5: Drawing manuals by Students

Some of Hokusai's students gained prominence and published their own drawing manuals, which often featured figures copied directly from their teacher's original designs.

You can witness the profound influence Hokusai had on his followers.

Katsushika Isai, Quick Pictorial Dictionary for Landscapes, Flowers, and Birds, Vol. 2

The Sumida Hokusai Museum (all terms)

Katsushika Isai, a student of Hokusai, published Quick Pictorial Dictionary for Landscapes, Flowers, and Birds, which are a visual dictionary similar to Sketches by Hokusai.

*This image was taken by Michi at the press preview.

Katsushika Hokusai, Sketches by Hokusai, The Sumida Hokusai Museum (all terms)

*This image was taken by Michi at the press preview.

For more information, please access here.