Few artworks are as instantly recognisable as The Great Wave off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai. This iconic Japanese wave painting, often simply called the Kanagawa wave, transcends time and culture. But beyond its visual beauty lies powerful symbolism of nature, mortality, and Japanese identity.
In this article, you will out what makes The Great Wave a stunning masterpiece in tradition and history.
- The towering, claw-like wave symbolises the Buddhist idea of mujo
- The tiny fishing boats beneath the wave represent human fragility
- Hokusai used Prussian blue, a newly imported pigment at the time.
Who Was Katsushika Hokusai?
Before diving into symbolism, it’s worth noting the legacy of Katsushika Hokusai, one of Japan’s most renowned ukiyo-e artists. At the time he created The Great Wave (circa 1831), Hokusai was in his seventies, reflecting on life, death, and nature’s overwhelming power.
This print is part of his series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, showcasing Japan’s sacred mountain from different perspectives.
Complete List of the Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji
- The Great Wave off Kanagawa
- Red Fuji – Aka Fuji
- Shower below the Summit
- Mannen Bridge at Fukagawa in Edo
- Surugadai in Edo
- Aoyama, En-za-no-Matsu
- Bushu Senju
- Inume Pass in Koshu Province
- Bishu; Fujimi-ga-hara
- Ejiri in Saruga Province
- Eto, Suruga-cho, Mii Mise Ryakuzu
- Ommayagashi yori Ryogoku-bashi no Sekiyou wo miru
- Gohyaku Rakan-ji, Sazaido
- Tea House at Koishikawa
- Kower Meguro Area
- Water-Wheel at Onden
- Inns at Enoshima Island in Sagami Province
- Fishing Boats at Tago-no-ura Bay in Ejiri
- Yoshida at Tokaido
- Sea Route at Kazusa Province
- Nihonbashi in Edo
- Sekiya
- Noboto-ura
- Lake at Hakone in Sagami Province
- Koshu; Misaka Suimen
- Hodogaya
- The Tama-gawa River in Bushu Province
- Hongan-ji Temple, Asakusa in Edo
- Tsukuda Island in Musashi Province
- Shichiri-ga-hama Beach in Suruga Province
- Cranes at Umezawa Manor in Sagami Province
- Koshu, Kajikazawa
- Mishima Pass
- In the Mountains of Totomi Province
- Lake Suwa in Shinano Province
- House Boat at Ushibori in Hitachi Province
The Making of The Great Wave
None of the original woodblocks used to create The Great Wave in the 1830s have survived. However, close study of 111 surviving impressions reveals that at least seven separate carved blocks were employed in the earliest printings. Since woodblocks were often carved on both sides, it is believed that four blocks in total (three of them double-sided) were used in its production.
Today, several publishers in Japan continue to produce reproductions of The Great Wave using traditional techniques. These modern examples provide valuable insight into the methods Hokusai’s contemporaries used nearly two centuries ago.
One such publisher is the Adachi Institute of Woodcut Prints, part of the Adachi Foundation for the Preservation of Woodcut Printing, established in 1994 to safeguard this historic craft.
For readers interested in how contemporary artists carry forward the spirit of innovation seen in Hokusai’s work, you may enjoy my related article, Takashi Murakami’s Symbolism: Beyond the Smile. In it, I explore how Murakami blends tradition with modern pop aesthetics to create a visual language that feels both playful and profound.
Alternatively, if you are fascinated by the symbolism and mastery in Hokusai’s Great Wave, you may also appreciate another celebrated Japanese masterpiece: Ogata Kōrin’s Red and White Plum Blossoms.
Like the Great Wave, Kōrin’s work captures the essence of nature, in this case, the delicate beauty and resilience of plum blossoms. This painting truly captures the spirit of the Rinpa painting style, which often draws inspiration from Japanese literature, incorporating evocative references to nature and the changing seasons.
Real-Life Inspiration Behind The Great Wave
Hokusai’s The Great Wave off Kanagawa draws its inspiration from the coastal scenery of the Kanagawa region in Japan. The towering wave, depicted in striking detail, captures the raw power of the sea that the locals experienced during that time. Mount Fuji, a sacred symbol of endurance and stability, can be seen in the background, emphasising the contrast between the permanence of the mountain and the transient, ever-changing nature of the ocean.
The Wave as a Force of Nature
The central wave looms like a claw, frozen in time just before it crashes down on the helpless fishing boats. It symbolises the uncontrollable power of nature, a recurring theme in Japanese culture influenced by earthquakes, tsunamis, and typhoons.
My favourite book about Hokusai has to be Hokusai: Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji. Check it out on Amazon
Boats of Human Fragility and Perseverance
The tiny fishing boats called oshiokuri-bune are dwarfed by the incoming wave. They represent the fragility of human life in the face of overwhelming forces, yet the fishermen don’t panic. I find myself drawn to their quiet resilience and the strange, uncanny comfort in their calm, a reminder that even when we feel powerless, we can still choose how to face what’s coming.
This dynamic illustrates the yin-yang balance between man and nature, a theme that resonates across much of Hokusai’s artwork.
Fuji’s Permanence vs. Impermanence
In the background, Mount Fuji stands quietly, unfazed by the chaos. In Japanese spirituality, Fuji often symbolises eternity and spiritual grounding. By contrasting the fleeting, explosive energy of the wave with the mountain’s stillness, Hokusai draws attention to Buddhist themes of impermanence (mujo).
Fuji Yama,
Touched by thy divine breath,
We return to the shape of God.
Thy silence is Song,
What moves me most is this silent juxtaposition: Fuji, the immovable mountain that has witnessed countless storms, and the fleeting lives of the fishermen below. It reminds me of how we often anchor ourselves to something when the world around us becomes turbulent
The Colour Symbolism
The use of Prussian blue, a Western pigment, was revolutionary in Japanese prints. It gave the Japanese wave painting a deep, stormy mood. The colour symbolises depth, the unknown, and in some interpretations, mourning or inner reflection.
Historical Symbol of Resilience
Today, The Great Wave off Kanagawa has become a global symbol of resilience, chaos, climate fear, and even pop culture rebellion. It’s been reimagined in everything from tattoos and posters to tech branding.
Visit The Sumida Hokusai Museum when you’re in Japan for an unforgettable journey into the Hokusai’s life.
There are plenty of ways to enjoy discounts at the Sumida Hokusai Museum. Admission to the permanent exhibition is free with either the Grutto Pass or the Tokyo Pass.
Visitors celebrating their birthday month receive 20% off the entry fee. Additional 20% discounts are also available through other options.
Did you know: The crest’s shape resembles the kanji character “大” (dai, meaning “great” or “big”), subtly reinforcing the wave’s significance.
If you’re interested in the symbolism behind waves in Japanese art, I’ve also written about what waves represent beyond Hokusai’s iconic print. From ancient folklore and sea gods to Zen philosophy and the spiritual meaning of storms, Japanese Wave Symbolism Explained: From Hokusai to Myth breaks down how artists have used water as a symbol of power, transformation, and the boundary between worlds.
It’s the perfect next read if you want to understand the deeper cultural forces that shaped Hokusai’s vision.
Beyond the Great Wave
For an in depth look read The making and evolution of Hokusai’s Great Wave.
Hokusai’s The Great Wave Off Kanagawa remains one of the most recognisable and celebrated masterpieces in art history, but its impact goes far beyond a single image. This iconic Japanese woodblock print continues to inspire countless artists, designers, and storytellers, having them flock to Japan to experience the beautiful and symbolic culture in person.
When thinking of art with symbols, the powerful essence of The Great Wave off Kanagawa is up there.
The timeless beauty of Japanese art speaks through the composition, reflecting on the relationship between humans and the environment, a theme as relevant today as it was in Edo-period Japan. Whether admired for its technical brilliance or its deep symbolism, The Great Wave stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of ukiyo-e and the universal language of art that transcends time and culture.
The Currency of The Great Wave
The Great Wave featured on a bank note at the Sumida Hokusai Museum in Tokyo from June 18 to August 25, 2024 and is set to be widely released in Japan’s new ¥1,000 (approximately $9) banknote.
Thanks to a special arrangement with Japan’s Ministry of Finance, the show includes an enlarged reproduction of this upcoming design, offering a rare early glimpse at how Hokusai’s iconic image will soon enter everyday circulation.
Lesser Known Works
This picture, Virudhaka (Ruriō) Killed by Lightning, is one of Hokusai’s most arresting and lesser-known works. Drawn in delicate ink on paper during the 1820s–1840s, it forms part of his Great Picture Book of Everything, a project that dives deep into myth, legend, and moral consequence. Here, Hokusai captures the exact moment the legendary figure Virudhaka is struck down by a bolt of lightning, a dramatic symbol of karmic retribution.
There’s a raw energy in the composition that moves outwards while the lines crackle with tension, the scene almost trembling with divine force.
It’s a powerful contrast to his more famous Great Wave off Kanagawa, showing us another side of the artist: not just a master of landscape, but a storyteller unafraid to depict cosmic justice.
Preserved today thanks to the Theresia Gerda Buch Bequest and the Art Fund, this picture invites us to reflect on fate, wrongdoing, and the quiet ferocity of ink on paper.
You can rediscover Hokusai’s paintings at The British Gallery.
