The 36 Views of Mount Fuji: Understanding the Iconic Series of Japanese Prints

In early 2026, at KOGEDO, we had the opportunity to bring back from Japan the complete series of Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji 富嶽三十六景 (Fugaku-sanjūrokkei) by Katsushika Hokusai, in a 1960 Japanese re-edition by Yuyūdō, printed using traditional woodblock printing techniques.

This is the perfect opportunity to revisit this major ukiyo-e series, far beyond the famous Great Wave off Kanagawa (magnificent, by the way), and to understand why it holds such an important place in the history of Japanese art.

Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji: Essential Landmarks

Before going further, some context.

The Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji series was created by Katsushika Hokusai between 1830 and 1832, at the end of the Edo period.
It belongs to the genre of landscape (fūkei-ga), which was then booming.

At that time, Mount Fuji was:

• a strong spiritual symbol,
• a pilgrimage site,
• a motif deeply rooted in the Japanese imagination.

Hokusai made it the common thread of an ambitious series, conceived from the outset as a coherent whole.

A series... that exceeds its own title

💡 Did you know?
The series is titled Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, but it actually contains 46 prints.

Due to its success, Hokusai added 10 additional views after the initial publication.
This extension enriches the series and reinforces its almost obsessive focus on Mount Fuji. And we have the ENTIRE 36+10 series!

A very real geography

All the prints in the series depict existing places in Japan, from which Mount Fuji is visible — or presumed to be.

We can recognize:

• busy roads,
• villages,
• bridges,
• rivers,
• coastlines.

Hokusai does not paint an abstract Fuji.
He places it in a concrete geography, familiar to his contemporaries.

Looking at the complete series is like leafing through a magnificent photo album of Edo-era Japan, with Mount Fuji in the background.

What if we followed the 36 views today?

This geographical dimension opens up a fascinating idea.

💡 Fun fact:
It is possible to travel across Japan by retracing the viewpoints of the Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji:
a true pilgrimage, between transformed landscapes and still recognizable horizons. A way to extend Hokusai's gaze, almost two centuries later.

And in fact, that's exactly what photographer Julien Rocheblave did!

Mount Fuji, omnipresent... but rarely central

When one looks at the series as a whole, one thing is surprising:
Mount Fuji is not always the main subject.

Sometimes tiny, sometimes partially hidden by:

• a wave,
• a bridge,
• a hill,
• or a very lively foreground,

it acts as a silent landmark, while human life occupies the center stage.

Fuji is still.
The world around it is in motion.

A bit like a "Where's Wally" Hokusai version!

A Japan at work

The Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji are also a formidable chronicle of daily work.

One sees:

• fishermen,
• porters,
• carpenters,
• artisans,
• travelers.

Often, objects fly from hand to hand: bundles, buckets, tools.
Hokusai captures the gesture, the effort, the suspended moment.

This is not an idealized Japan, but an active Japan, punctuated by work and the seasons.

Prussian blue: a technical revolution

Visually, the series marks a turning point thanks to the use of Prussian blue (bero-ai).

This pigment, imported from Europe at the beginning of the 19th century, is:

• deeper,
• more stable,
• more light-resistant than traditional blues.

Hokusai masterfully exploited it for the sea, sky, and shadows, giving the series a striking modernity that still resonates today.

And it must be said, Prussian blue and its gradations are simply sublime!

Western perspective and Japanese gaze

Hokusai also integrates principles of Western perspective, newly introduced to Japan:

• marked depth,
• vanishing lines,
• very present foregrounds.

But he never applies them academically.
He adapts them to a freer, more graphic Japanese sensibility, creating very dynamic compositions.

Hokusai would, in turn, repay the West in terms of inspiration, as this series would be one of the main origins of the Japonisme movement, which arrived in Europe in the mid-19th century.

A mature work

💡 Did you know?
Hokusai was over 70 years old when he created the Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji.

Far from a static late work, the series overflows with energy, inventiveness, and freedom.
It is a work of maturity, but also of intact curiosity.

Why seeing the entire series changes the reading

A single print taken in isolation is already a pleasure.
But seeing the complete series allows one to understand:

• the repetitions,
• the variations,
• Hokusai's visual obsessions.

We move from emblematic images to a true reflection on landscape, time, and daily life.

It is also for this reason that we wanted to take the time to look at this series as a whole before offering it for sale, print by print.

Our favorite views at KOGEDO

With such a rich series, it is difficult to choose. And perhaps that is precisely where the pleasure lies: each gaze is drawn to a different view, depending on one's sensibility, mood, or personal history with Japan.

We'll try not to tell you: The Great Wave off Kanagawa, Red Fuji, and Thunderstorm Beneath the Summit, even if they are sublime (even more so when you hold them in your hands!)

Mikan: Umezawa in Sagami Province
"I really like the cranes in the foreground of this print!"

Tôma: Mishima Pass in Kai Province.
"The color gradation on Fuji is superb, and I love Hokusai's stylized clouds. The foreground with the travelers embracing the immense cedar is very original."

As for Kogechan: Reflection of Mount Fuji in Lake Kawaguchi, viewed from Misaka Pass in Kai Province.
"I love the reflection of Fuji in Lake Kawaguchi, plus I've been there and it's so beautiful!"

Some prints from the 36 Views of Mount Fuji series will be offered for individual sale over time.
They can be found in our collection of authentic Japanese prints, for those who wish to continue the discovery.

And you, which of the views is your favorite?