Primary sourcePainting1832

Yōrō Waterfall in Mino Province

Katsushika Hokusai · 1832

A woodblock print by Hokusai showing a tall waterfall, part of his series on waterfalls across Japan's provinces.

A representative print from Hokusai's waterfall series, showing his stylised treatment of nature.

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Color woodblock print of a tall waterfall pouring down a rock face framed by green trees. Two figures with round hats walk on a path at lower right, and a seated figure sits beside a thatched shelter. Title cartouche at upper left, red seal and signature at upper right. — Katsushika Hokusai, Yōrō Waterfall in Mino Province, 1832. Tokyo National Museum.

About this source

What it is

This color woodblock print, made in 1832 by Katsushika Hokusai, belongs to his series A Tour of Waterfalls in Various Provinces. It is held by the Tokyo National Museum.

Why it matters

Hokusai was fascinated by nature's dramatic forms, and this series let him experiment with how falling water could be shaped into bold decorative patterns. It shows how Japanese landscape prints combined close observation with stylised design, and how ordinary travellers were included to give a sense of scale and daily life.

Look closer

How has Hokusai simplified or exaggerated the shape of the water?
What do the small figures on the path add to the scene?
Why might an artist make a whole series about one kind of natural feature?

This painting is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Hokusai on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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