Learn All About Tokyo’s Most Famous Artist at the Sumida Hokusai Museum

ByMichael Stigall

August, Family Fun, Museums, Tokyo Arts, Tokyo City, Tokyo Metropolis, Tokyo Museums, Weekend Activities

Aug 28, 2024

Learn All About Tokyo’s Most Famous Artist at the Sumida Hokusai Museum

It sometimes can be a bit surprising  to learn that at one point in time the busiest parts of Tokyo weren’t the bustling areas of Shinjuku and Shibuya but were actually located to the East. Indeed, in old Edo (the former name for Tokyo), the Eastern area of the city held sway and  was a bustling area for artists and artisans. Perhaps the most well-known of these is Katsushika Hokusai, the famous woodblock print artist. Hokusai’s most famous work is arguably “The Great Wave” but he produced many, many other works.While he remained famous nearly two centuries later, it wasn’t until 2016 that he finally got his own dedicated museum in Eastern Tokyo (naturally).

The Sumida Hokusai Museum, which opened in 2016, puts the spotlight entirely on the Edo Period’s most famous artist. At this museum you can stroll though and observe works from various periods  in Hokusai’s life. There are replicas and original works, along with temporary exhibitions. The museum isn’t just a place to see Hokusai’s art. There is a wealth of detail about his life and even a full-scale reconstruction of Hokusai’s art studio. There are both a permanent exhibit and multiple special exhibits that change periodically. Plus, the multilingual  support and displays are outstanding. In a city full of museums, this is definitely one that shouldn’t be missed.

As a bonus, there’s even several neighboring museums such as the Japanese Sword Museum and the Edo-Tokyo Museum, so if pre-modern Japan is something you’re interested in, this may just be the best neighborhood in Tokyo to visit. 

Sumida Hokusai Museum

Sumida Hokusai Museum
2-7-2 Kamezawa, Sumida-ku, Tokyo
Transit: Toei Oedo Line, Ryogoku Station, Exit A3
Hours: 9:30 am ~5;30 pm every day except Monday. If Monday is a holiday, then closed the next business day.
Price: Free for Children, JPY 400 for adults, JPY 300 for High School and University  students, JPY 300 for Seniors and vocational student.

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