August 28, 2024 PRESS RELEASEThe Sumida Hokusai Museum (Sumida City, Tokyo) will hold

The Exhibition “The Courtly Hokusai: Heian Literature in Edo”
from September 18 to November 24, 2024

Depictions of imperial court customs and literature flourished during the Edo period (1603-1867), in thecontext of research on the Heian period (794-1185) and education in the classics, a thriving publishingindustry, and the widespread circulation of books. Hokusai and his students created many works thatenvisioned Murasaki Shikibu and other Heian-period figures and life in the imperial capital and that took
their subjects from court literature, including The Tale of Genji and The Tales of Ise. These artists went
beyond simply turning scenes from tales into paintings or depicting the meanings of poems. They also
created works that incorporate designs associated with court literature in kimonos and accessories.
This exhibition presents works related to the Heian period or court culture by Hokusai and his associates,
Edo-period painters. It also introduces those artists‘ images of the Heian period and of the world of court
literature, and their ramifications. Please enjoy the courtly grace of the Heian world alive and well in Edo.
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The Exhibition The Courtly Hokusai: Heian Literature in Edo PRESS RELEASE■ The Essence of the Exhibition

Hokusai and his students in the Edo Period picturized the lifestyle of the Heian Period and their images oncourt literature. You can totally enjoy the exhibits ﬁlled with the courtly grace.

■ Composition◆【Introduction】 The People of Edo’s View of Heian◆【Section 1】 Formation of a Courtly Image◆【Section 2】 Court Literature Depicted

Part 1：Living in the CapitalPart 2：Fear of the Bizarre◆【Section 3】 Designs Related to Court Literature Part 1：Motifs with Literary Associations Part 2：A Scene Becomes a Design■ Highlights of Each Section【Introduction】 The People of Edo’s View of Heian
During the Edo period, copies of classic literary works such as The Tale of Genji or The Tales of Ise and books
explaining them circulated widely. With advances in scholarly research and education for the masses, the Kokin
Wakashū Poetry Anthology and other collections of Heian-period poetry became generally available, andpaintings of the poetic immortals became a popular theme. With classical literature and legends inspiring
Kabuki and other forms of entertainment, people in Edo formed their own images of what life was like in Kyoto,back in the Heian period. Here we introduce works that present the background behind the formation of those
Edo-period images of Heian.

Katsushika Hokusai, Young Woman Reading Makura no Sōshi (The Pillow Book), The Sumida Hokusai Museum (1st term)

A beautiful woman is shown in a furisode, a type of formal kimono worn by young women, and reading a book. It
appears she has just graduated from being a little girl attendant to a courtesan to becoming a nearly grown up, young
courtesan. Oiran and other high-ranking courtesans were required to be educated in the classics. Since we can see
Makura no Sōshi (The Pillow Book) on the title slip of the book this woman is reading, we can grasp how widely thatbook had circulated.

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The Exhibition The Courtly Hokusai: Heian Literature in Edo PRESS RELEASE【Section 1】 Formation of a Courtly Image

The courtly works that Hokusai and his colleagues creatly take events at the imperial court and everyday life in
the capital as their themes. The capital was also where ideas and scholarship transmitted from the Asian
mainland and Japan’s ancient beliefs and legends became connected. In this section, please observe how thelifestyles and culture of the Heian-period capital, and legends of ghosts, goblins, and the bizarre, were imagined
and the resulting images widely shared.

◆ Part 1：Living in the Capital ◆This print is from Hokusai’s
series depicting the stations on
the Tōkaidō road; the subject is
its destination, Kyō (today’sKyoto). Here, two children are
Butterflies
performing
thebugaku dance, which appears in
The Tale of Genji. It is likely that
Hokusai chose to depict theButterflies
dance
assymbolizing the courtly imageof the place called Kyō, theKatsushika Hokusai, Kyō, from the series The Fifty-three Stations, Coming and Going to Edo,
The Sumida Hokusai Museum (2nd term)This painting depicts a nobleman
getting a glimpse of lavishlyclothed ladies. A nobleman
peering over a fence at women ina residence became a standard
composition in paintings taking
their subject matter from, forexample, “Young Murasaki”(Chapter 5) or “The Maiden ofthe Bridge” (Chapter 45) of The
Tale of Genji. Hokusai has
depicted the garments, thebamboo blinds, and the plants
with fine brushwork.

Katsushika Hokusai, Nobleman and Court Ladies, The Sumida Hokusai Museum (1st term)◆ Part 2：Fear of the Bizarre ◆Katsushika Hokusai, Kakinomoto Kisōjō, from Sketches
by Hokusai, The Sumida Hokusai Museum (all terms)

Katsushika Hokusai, Nue, a Japanese Chimera,
The Sumida Hokusai Museum (1st term)

Right：A nue is a legendary monster with the head of a monkey, the body of a raccoon-dog, a tail like a snake, and thelegs of a tiger, and magical powers. The creature was also depicted with the body of a tiger, as in this example.

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The Exhibition The Courtly Hokusai: Heian Literature in Edo PRESS RELEASE【Section 2】 Court Literature Depicted

During the Edo period, court literature, including The Tale of Genji and The Tales of Ise, was depicted farand wide. Hokusai and his students were among those who took themes from Heian literature andcreated a wide range of works, each in his own style. In some, while the subject was taken from Heian
court literature, the people were given Edo-period hairstyles and clothing, combining the traditional andthe contemporary. This section presents a wealth of works by Hokusai and his students with court
literature as their theme.
◆ Works related to The Tale of Genji ◆Katsushika Hokusai, Fashionable The Tale of Genji Poem Card,
The Sumida Hokusai Museum (all terms)*Different cards are displayed in 1st term and 2nd term.

These poem cards contain poems from The Tale of Genji. The cards with blue edges contain the first half of a poem,
the yellow-edged cards the second half. Paintings related to the content of the relevant chapter of the novel adorn
each card. Their case has a cover sheet depicting Murasaki Shikibu writing The Tale of Genji while in seclusion atIshiyama Temple attached. While the cover image becomes simplified in later printings, this example is probably
from very nearly the first printing.

Katsushika Hokusai, Court Fan, from the series The
Immortal Poets, The Sumida Hokusai Museum (2ndterm)

Katsushika Hokusai, Miyasudokoro(Lady Rokujō), from Sketches by Hokusai,Vol. 5, The Sumida Hokusai Museum (all terms)

Katsushika Hokusai, Onnasannomiya (ThirdDaughter of Retired Emperor Suzakuin): AParody, The Sumida Hokusai Museum (1st term)

Left：This work, one of five in the series The Immoral Poets. The birdcage behind the beautiful woman and the kyōka
verse added to the image indicate that the subject is probably “Young Murasaki”.

Center：The subject of this sketch is Miyasudokoro (Lady Rokujō), a character in The Tale of Genji. After her husband,
the heir apparent to the emperor, died, she was on intimate terms with Hikaru Genji (the Shining Prince). Her jealous
nature, however, led her to appear before his wife, Aoi, as a vengeful spirit and kill her; then her ghost caused thewomen in Hikaru Genji’s circle great suffering. In the Noh play Lady Aoi, based on this tale, she appears as an ogress,
as she is depicted with disheveled hair. The black haze generates an ominous atmosphere.
Right：This work is a parody picture addressing Onnasannomiya (the Third Princess), who appears in Chapter 34(“Young Shoots, I”) and thereafter in The Tale of Genji. Here the creature is shown a monkey, not a cat of her pet,probably the zodiac animal of the year in which Hokusai created it.

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The Sumida Hokusai Museum◆ Works related to The Tales of Ise ◆The Exhibition The Courtly Hokusai: Heian Literature in Edo PRESS RELEASE◆ Works related to Makura no Sōshi (The Pillow Book) ◆Katsushika Hokusai, Old View of the Yatsuhashi Bridge in Mikawa Province, from the seriesRemarkable Views of Bridges in Various Provinces, The Sumida Hokusai Museum (all terms)*Different print of the same title is displayed in 1st term and 2nd term.

Katsushika Hokusai, Blossoming Plum Branch, from the series The
Immortal Poets, The Sumida Hokusai Museum (1st term)

Left：Yatsuhashi (eight-plank bridge) was a familiar place name long used as a geographical allusion in poetry.
Ariwara no Narihira, who is presumed to be the protagonist in The Tales of Ise, is said to have composed a poem
about Yatsuhashi. That place, and its eight-planked bridge, is believed to have been in what is now Chiryu City, inAichi prefecture. “Old View” in the title of this work indicates that the bridge was already gone in Hokusai’s day.
Hokusai has addressed the theme as though in the Edo period, depicting people enjoying the irises blooming in themarsh as they cross the bridge.
Right：This work, one of five in the series The immortal poets. The subject is thought to be Sei Shōnagon and her
The Pillow Book. The Japanese plum blossoms and the motifs of kimono printed in silver can be seen.

【Section 3】 Designs Related to Court Literature
Designs based on motifs associated with court literature or inspired by those tales were used onaccessories. In work by Hokusai and his students, we can see motifs associated with The Tale of Genjiand clothing and accessories decorated with motifs resembling poem cards. Some works also turned
one scene from a tale into a design for accessories. Part 1 of this section presents works containing motifs
associated with court literature. Part 2 introduces works in which a scene from one of those literary works
is used as a design.

◆ Part 1：Motifs with Literary Associations◆Katsushika Hokusai, Beauties Playing the Poem Card Game, The Sumida Hokusai Museum (2nd term)

Several beautiful women are depicted playing the poem card game. The woman resting her chin on her hands iswearing a kimono with Genjiguruma motifs. The Genjiguruma is said to have developed as a motif from Japan’s
medieval period to the Edo period; these designs are stylized versions of the wheels of the oxcarts used only bymembers of the imperial family and noblemen in the Heian-period. The conflict over the oxcarts in “Heart toHeart” (Aoi), Chapter 9 of The Tale of Genji, probably locked in an association of that motif with the novel.

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The Exhibition The Courtly Hokusai: Heian Literature in Edo PRESS RELEASE◆Part 2：A Scene Becomes a Design◆

Katsushika Hokusai, “Ukifune” Chapter in The Tale of Genji, from Modern Designs for Combs and Tobacco Pipes, The Sumida Hokusai Museum (all terms)

This book is a drawing manual filled with designs for combs and pipes. The designs shown were inspired by the“Ukifune” chapter in The Tale of Genji, Chapter 51. The main characters in “Ukifune” are Kaoru, a son of Hikaru Genjiand Niō Miya, a grandson of Hikaru Genji; the story develops around them and the Uji sisters. Here Niō Miya sets
off for Uji. The scene in which he brings Ukifune, the half sister of Naka no Kimi, to a secret residence on the opposite
side of the Uji River inspired these designs.

■ The Exhibition Leaflet・Full Color/A4 size/8 pages in all・Price：￥350 (tax included)
・Release Date：September 18, 2024
Available at The Sumida Hokusai Museum Shop

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The Exhibition The Courtly Hokusai: Heian Literature in Edo PRESS RELEASE■ Summary of the Exhibition◎Exhibition ：The Courtly Hokusai: Heian Literature in Edo◎Term：Wednesday, September 18 - Sunday, November 24, 2024 *Some exhibits will be changed during the period.
The First Term：September 18 - October 20, 2024

The Second Term：October 22 - November 24. 2024
Closed: Mondays*Open on the following substitute public holidays on Monday: September 23, October 14, November 4
Closed on the following Tuesdays: September 24, October 15, November 5◎Venue：3rd floor Exhibition Room in The Sumida Hokusai Museum◎Hours：9:30 am -5:30 pm (last entry 5:00 pm)◎Organizers ：Sumida City, The Sumida Hokusai Museum◎Admission ：Adults ¥1,000, Students (high school and college) ¥700, 65 and over ¥700, Students (Junior high) ¥300,
Disabled Visitors ¥300, Children in primary school and younger Free
◎Website ： https://hokusai-museum.jp/HokusaiHeianEN/● Visitors can also enter AURORA (Permanent Exhibition Room) and Permanent Exhibition Plus on the same day● Identification card is necessary to get a discount ticket. ● Admission for disabled visitors is also available for one accompanying person.
● Please see the latest information about the starting date of ticket sales and the way of purchase for same-day tickets and other discounttickets on our website.

【The Sumida Hokusai Museum】

The Sumida Hokusai Museum was opened in 2016 in Sumida City, Tokyo where Ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai(1760-1849) was born and where he spent most of his life. The museum has provided information about Hokusai
and his artworks through the periodical exhibitions and educational events since then.

＜Information＞
Open
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TelWebsite
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Facebook: 9:30am‐5:30pm (Last admission 5:00pm): Mondays (The following day if it is a national holiday), New Year holidays (December 29 - January 2): 2-7-2 Kamezawa, Sumida-ku, Tokyo,130-0014: 03-6658-8936 （9:30 am‐5:30 pm *except on closed days）: https://hokusai-museum.jp/: https://twitter.com/HokusaiMuseum/: https://www.facebook.com/THE.SUMIDA.HOKUSAI.MUSEUM/

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The Exhibition The Courtly Hokusai: Heian Literature in Edo PRESS RELEASEThe Exhibition “The Courtly Hokusai: Heian Literature in Edo”
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≪the important points of using the images from the museum ≫・Please credit the images for use by noting artist’s name, title, proprietary, and term of exhibition.
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□ The Exhibition “The Courtly Hokusai: Heian Literature in Edo” flyer front page (A4)□ The Exhibition “The Courtly Hokusai: Heian Literature in Edo” square visual（1080px×1080px）□ Katsushika Hokusai, Young Woman Reading Makura no Sōshi (The Pillow Book), The Sumida Hokusai Museum (1st term)□ Katsushika Hokusai, Nobleman and Court Ladies, The Sumida Hokusai Museum (1st term)□ Katsushika Hokusai, Kakinomoto Kisōjō, from Sketches by Hokusai, Vol.5, The Sumida Hokusai Museum (all terms)□ Katsushika Hokusai, Court Fan, from the series The Immortal Poets, The Sumida Hokusai Museum (2nd term)□ Katsushika Hokusai, Onnasannomiya (Third Daughter of Retired Emperor Suzakuin): A Parody, The Sumida Hokusai Museum (1st term)□ Katsushika Hokusai, Miyasudokoro (Lady Rokujō), from Sketches by Hokusai, Vol. 5, The Sumida Hokusai Museum (all terms)□ Katsushika Hokusai, Blossoming Plum Branch, from the series The Immortal Poets, The Sumida Hokusai Museum (1st term)□ Katsushika Hokusai, Beauties Playing the Poem Card Game, The Sumida Hokusai Museum (2nd term)

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