Katsushika Hokusai, a world-renowned Japanese ukiyo-e artist, whose painting of waves, “Kanagawa Okinamiura,” one of the 36 Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku Sanjurokkei), is known to everyone, continues to be paid homage to in various works and products. Hokusai was born in 1760 in the Honjo Warishimizu area (near present-day Kamezawa, Sumida-ku), and spent most of his 90-year life in Sumida Ward.
His beautiful colors and rich painting style and ideas were highly appreciated not only in Japan but also abroad, and he is said to have greatly influenced painters such as Van Gogh and Monet. The Sumida Hokusai Museum was established in 2016 to honor Hokusai as a source of pride for the residents of Sumida City and as a base for regional revitalization that also contributes to industry and tourism.
Access to the Sumida Hokusai Museum
The nearest stations are JR Ryogoku Station or Ryogoku Station (in front of Edo-Tokyo Museum) on the Toei Subway Oedo Line.
It is only a 9-minute walk from JR Ryogoku Station from the East Exit. From Ryogoku Station on the Oedo Line, take Exit A3 and walk for 5 minutes. From The Gate Hotel Ryogoku, pass by the former Yasuda Teien and walk for about 10 minutes. Walking east on Hokusai Street, you will come to Midorimachi Park, where you will see a modern and stylish building with an eye-catching dull aluminum wall. The building was designed by Kazuyo Sejima.
The slit design provides an unobstructed view of Sumida from various angles.
Admission to the Sumida Hokusai Museum
AURORA (Permanent Exhibition Room)
Admission is 400 yen for adults, 300 yen for high school, college, and vocational school students, and persons 65 years of age and older. Admission is free for preschool children, elementary school students, junior high school students, high school students attending a high school in the city, and disabled persons (certificate required). Discounts are also available by presenting a ticket stub from the Sumida Hokusai Museum.
Special Exhibition Rooms
Prices vary depending on the exhibition. Please check the Sumida Hokusai Museum website.
Tickets are available at the reception desk on the 1st floor.
AURORA (Permanent Exhibition Room) and Special Exhibition Room
AURORA is full of surprises and discoveries.
In the permanent exhibition room on the 4th floor, visitors can trace the life of Hokusai while viewing life-size, high-resolution replicas of his works from each period. Of particular interest here is a realistic replica of Hokusai’s studio, which looks as if it might start moving at any moment. A wax model of Hokusai and his daughter in a simple tenement house conveys the passion with which he devoted himself to his work, even at the age of 84. In addition to introducing Hokusai’s masterpieces, visitors can enjoy viewing nishiki-e on a high-definition monitor, and learn about Hokusai’s techniques on a touch-screen monitor through quizzes and games, so visitors will never get bored.
Special Exhibition Rooms where you can get acquainted with valuable collections.
On the third and fourth floors, there are exhibition rooms for special exhibitions. The Sumida Hokusai Museum houses the collection of Peter Morse, one of the world’s leading collectors of Hokusai works, the collection of Dr. Muneju Narasaki, a scholar of ukiyo-e, and the collection that Sumida Ward has been collecting on its own.
Using these collections, exhibitions on a variety of themes are held from time to time, allowing visitors to become more deeply familiar with the fascination of Hokusai.
In addition to exhibitions, the museum also offers a space where visitors can enjoy learning.
Museum Shop
The museum store on the first floor sells many goods related to Hokusai. There are also catalogs and leaflets for special exhibitions. Some items are only available here and make great souvenirs.
MARUGEN 100 (lecture room)
This space is used to hold workshops, events, lectures, etc. on the theme of Hokusai and ukiyo-e. (Currently closed for use and new applications)
Library
The library is a place where visitors can browse through books, art books, and other materials on Hokusai and ukiyo-e at their leisure.
Observation Lounge
The brightly lit lounge on the 4th floor with large windows offers a relaxing space with a view of the Skytree and the cityscape of Mida.
When we think of Hokusai, we think of his masterpiece series “Fugaku Sanjurokkei (Thirty-six views of Mt. Fuji)” and “Hokusai Manga (Hokusai Manga),” which depicts all kinds of things, including humans, nature, gods, Buddha, and ghosts, but he also left many works depicting the scenery of Sumida, where he was born, including Ryogoku Bridge and Ushijima Shrine.
Visitors can learn about the city and history of Sumida through Hokusai’s works as well as his masterpieces. When you visit Ryogoku, be sure not to miss out on this fun and educational museum.
Photo by Yosuke Owashi, courtesy of Sumida Hokusai Museum.
Visit Information
Sumida Hokusai Museum
| Address | 2-7-2 Kamezawa, Sumida-ku, Tokyo 130-0014 |
| TEL: 03-6658-8936 | 03-6658-8936 |
| Hours of operation | 9:30 – 17:30 (Admission until 30 minutes before closing) |
| Closed | Mondays (or the following weekday if Monday is a national holiday or substitute holiday) Year-end and New Year holidays (December 29 – January 1) |
Admission to AURORA (Permanent Exhibition Hall)
| General Admission | 400 yen |
| High school, university, college, and vocational school students, 65 years old and over | 300 yen |
*Please check the Sumida Hokusai Museum website for the latest information on hours of operation, holidays, etc.
