The LINEAGE of HOKUSAI's BEAUTIES－Rivalry Among Masters

When we think of Katsushika Hokusai, his iconic landscape series, 'Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji' first comes to mind for most of us. While he is celebrated for these landscape masterpieces, Hokusai also created a significant body of work in the genre of bijinga, or "pictures of beautiful women".

The exhibition is on view from September 16th to November 24th, 2025 at The Sumida Hokusai Museum.

Exhibition Highlights

○It highlights Hokusai's origins as a master of bijinga and the evolution of his aesthetic style. It also showcases masterpieces from his contemporaries and disciples.

You can explore:

*Miyagawa Chōshun' s Genre Scenes Picture Scroll, important cultural property

*Katsukawa Shunshō's Strolling Beauty, for the first time display in the museum.

* Katsushika Hokusai's Beauty's First Dream of the Year, for the first time display

 ○It highlights the transformation of his bijinga style, from the graceful female figures of Sōri period to the voluptuous and brilliant beauties of his prime, as well as contemporary rivalry masterpieces by Kitagawa Utamaro and Keisai Eisen.

You can explore:

*Kitagawa Utamaro's Pensive Love, from the series Anthology of Poems, the Love Section, produced by Tsutaya Jūzaburō

*Katsushika Hokusai's Squeaking a Ground Cherry, from the series Seven Fashionable Habits, produced by Tsutaya Jūzaburō

*Katsushika Hokusai's Scenery on Both Banks of the Sumida River

*Katsushika Hokusai's Gathering Shellfish, important cultural property.

○It highlights disciples who passed on Hokusai's of bijinga style.

You can explore:

*Katsushika Oi's (Hokusai's daughter) Two Beauties with Butterfllies, --which had been unseen for many years--as well as works by Hokusai's disciples such as Teisai Hokuba and Totoya Hokkei.

Section 1: Hokusai's Origins

In 1765, when Hokusai was six, (The age is based on the East Asian reckoning.）Suzuki Harunobu produced daishō prints (simplified calendars), which triggered a huge boom, and the bijinga boom took Edo by storm.

Later, the depictions of mature female figures by Isoda Koryūsai and of tall and robust women with graceful proportions by Torii Kiyonaga became fashionable.

Their contemporary, Katsukawa Shunshō also gained fame for his masterful, delicate, and elegant hand-painted bijinga.

You'll find Hokusai's early works, tracing their artistic lineage from the orthdox bijinga style from Miyagawa Chōshun to his teacher, Katsukawa Shunshō in this section.

This is on display for the first time.

This is on display for the first time in the museum.

This is on display for the first time.

Section 2: Becoming a Bijinga Virtuoso

After Katsukawa Shunshō's death, Hokusai left the school. He produced many bijinga, being fascinated with Kyoka, satirical poems by the name of Tawaraya Sōri. He depicted graceful women with oval faces, which became exceptionally popular in Edo.

Among his contemporaries, such as Chōbunsai Eishi and Kitagawa Utamaro, who were undoubtedly leading figures and virtuosos of bijinga, Hokusai was also widely recognized as a bijinga virtuoso, so that he was mentioned in the 1800 novella Taitōkeigo (Courtesans' Words Through Connoisseurs).

You'll find the true essence of bijinga, including half-length portraits in this section.

Kitagawa Utamaro

Deeply Hidden Love, from the series Anthology of Poems, the Love Section

Private collection (1st term)

Taken by Michi at the press preview

The Entire picture scroll is on display since the museum's opening exhibition.

Section 3: With the Maturity of Ukiyo-e

After the graceful female figures of his Sōri period, Hokusai's bijinga evolved into a more powerful style in line with the taste for voluptuous and alluring women that dominated Bunka and Bunsei eras (1804-30).

You will find Hokusai's works as well as his contemporaries in the mature period of bijinga, including Keisai Eisen and Utagawa Kunisada in this section.

designated important cultural property

Katsushika Hokusai, Beauty Playing a Chinese Flute

The Sumida Hokusai Museum, Peter Morse Collection (1st term)

Taken by Michi at the press preview

Section 4: Members of Hokusai's Lineage

Hokusai had about two hundred students, many of whom produced bijinga.

Nowadays, his daughter, Katsushika Ōi, is capturing a lot of attention.

She was so talented that Hokusai used to say "My bijinga are not as good as Ōi's".

You will find images of women by Ōi and others who carried on Hokusai's bijinga style, including Teisai Hokuba,Totoya Hokkei, and the mysteriousTen'en Dōjin.

For more information, please access here.