VOL.204 JUNE 2025
JAPAN’S RELATIONSHIP WITH WATER Water Landscapes in Japanese Ukiyo-e

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Kanagawa oki nami ura (“The Great Wave Off the Coast of Kanagawa”), from the series Fugaku Sanjurokkei (“Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji”) by Katsushika Hokusai, 19th century


Collection of Tokyo National Museum

Surrounded by the sea on all sides, blessed with abundant rainfall and numerous rivers, Japan has long enjoyed rich water resources. As a result, water has always been a familiar part of people’s lives—and has served as a popular subject in art since from old times. We spoke with a researcher from the Tokyo National Museum about ukiyo-e that feature water.

Ukiyo-e,¹ a style of woodblock printing that originated in Japan, is well known even outside the country. Many internationally famous works—such as Kanagawa oki nami ura (“The Great Wave Off the Coast of Kanagawa”), from the series Fugaku Sanjurokkei (“Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji”²) by Katsushika Hokusai³—feature scenes of water, including the sea, rivers, and ponds.

But what did water and waterfronts mean to people at the time? MURASE Kana, a curator at the Tokyo National Museum, explains. “In the 18th to 19th centuries, when ukiyo-e flourished, Edo—present-day Tokyo—was one of Japan’s largest and most populous cities. At the time, there were no trains or cars, so rivers played a major role in transportation. Goods like rice and timber were moved by boat, and in the summer, people took to the water for leisure, enjoying boat rides to cool off. For the people of Edo, water was essential to daily life and always close at hand.”

Ukiyo-e vividly depict not only landscapes but also the people who lived in them, offering a glimpse into everyday life at the time. MURASE notes, “In almost every waterfront scene in ukiyo-e, you’ll find people living with water—fishing, crossing rivers by ferry, or gathering shellfish on the beach or tidal flats at low tide. These scenes reflect the close relationship between people and water.”

MURASE also introduced several other ukiyo-e masterpieces that portray water. “Utagawa Hiroshige,⁴ one of the leading landscape artists of ukiyo-e, created well-known series such as Meisho Edo Hyakkei (“One Hundred Famous Places of Edo”) and Rokujuyoshu Meisho Zue (“Famous Views of the Sixty-Odd Provinces”). These 19th-century prints are notable for their vivid colors, made possible using Prussian blue⁵—a pigment imported from Europe. With delicate gradations of color, Hiroshige was able to portray everything from crashing waves to calm river surfaces.

“Another remarkable example is Kudan-zaka Satsukinoyoru (“Night at Kudanzaka in May”), part of the series Tokyo Meishozu (“Famous Places of Tokyo”) by Kobayashi Kiyochika,⁶ an artist active in the 19th century. In this work, Kiyochika masterfully captures the texture of wet ground not by painting raindrops, but by showing the reflection and shadows of light.

“In the Taisho and Showa periods, woodblock artist Kawase Hasui⁷ produced series such as Tokyo Junidai (“Twelve Scenes in Tokyo”) and Tabimiyage (“Souvenirs”). These works often feature visible traces of the baren⁸—a tool used in printing—which help convey the shimmering movement of water.”

MURASE adds that in addition to oceans and rivers, the frequent rainfall in Japan has inspired many works depicting rain. All these artworks are housed in the Tokyo National Museum, where they can be viewed during their exhibition periods. Be sure to check the official website for the schedule, and enjoy these masterpieces through the fresh perspective of how water is expressed in art.

• 1. Ukiyo refers to everyday life, and as its name suggests, ukiyo-e are woodblock prints showing common people’s daily scenes, and these prints became widely popular.
• 2. A series of prints by Katsushika Hokusai featuring Mount Fuji from various angles and in different moods. The series includes 46 prints in total.
• 3. Born in 1760, died in 1849. A ukiyo-e artist who left many works that influenced Western painters.
• 4. Born in 1797, died in 1858. A Japanese painter known for landscape prints such as Tokaido Gojusan-tsugi (“Fifty-three Stages of the Tokaido Highway”). He specialized in scenic views of various provinces and famous places in Edo.
• 5. A chemically synthesized pigment imported from Europe to Japan in the 18th century. It enabled the expression of a clear blue color that was not achievable with traditional plant-based pigments used in ukiyo-e until then.
• 6. Born in 1847, died in 1915. A ukiyo-e artist who portrayed the modernization of Tokyo through prints. He incorporated techniques from oil painting and photography into ukiyo-e.
• 7. Born in 1883, died in 1957. A ukiyo-e artist and printmaker who traveled throughout Japan, making many landscape prints.
• 8. A tool called used in woodblock printing: paper is placed on an inked woodblock, and pressure is applied to transfer the ink onto the paper.

By TANAKA Nozomi
Photo: Collection of Tokyo National Museum

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