Visualizing the Invisible: Hokusai, Yokai, & Manga

MTC 211 • 2nd Floor

Visualizing the Invisible: Hokusai, Yokai, & Manga

Yayoi Shinoda, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

Katsushika Hokusai, famed for his iconic print Under the Wave off Kanagawa (often called the Great Wave, 1830–31), was much more than a master of landscapes.He also delved into the mystical realms of yōkai, the supernatural creatures of Japanese folklore and legends.

Hokusai brought these mysterious beings to life with astonishing detail. The vibrant prints and illustrated books he designed, including early manga, enchanted audiences of his time and continue to captivate imaginations today.

Yayoi Shinoda is Assistant Curator of Japanese Art at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. 

Hokusai: Waves of Inspiration

See the exhibit Hokusai: Waves of Inspiration, at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art through January 2025. 

Learn more at Nelson-Atkins.org

Image Credits

Left: Detail, Katsushika Hokusai, Sara yashiki (Plate Mansion), 1831. Library of Congress. Public Domain.

Right: Detail, Katsushika Hokusai, Hokusai manga (Hokusai Sketchbooks), vol.3, 1815. Smithsonian Libraries. Public Domain.