Abeno Harukas Art Museum in Osaka hosts a wide range of exhibitions covering Japanese art, Western art, contemporary art, and more.
Following in-progress and planned exhibitions for 2026 and beyond — including "Andrew Wyeth Exhibition" from October, "Lucie Rie Exhibition – Elegant Vessels Connecting East and West" from December, and "Eric Carle Exhibition: It Starts with The Very Hungry Caterpillar" from March 2027 — the museum has now announced a new exhibition.
About the Exhibition
Katsushika Hokusai is one of the most celebrated ukiyo-e artists, known for changing his art name many times over the course of his career. The period during which he went by the name "Hokusai" — his so-called "Hokusai era" — spans about 18 years, from age 37 in 1796 (Kansei 8) to age 54 in 1813 (Bunka 10).
From the late Kansei era onward, Hokusai became a leading figure in his field by providing vividly colored illustrations for kyoka picture books. When yomihon novels rose in popularity during the Bunka era (1804–1818), he collaborated with gesaku writers such as Kyokutei Bakin, driving the yomihon boom with his overwhelming skill and prolific output. This period is also notable for the many single-sheet prints he produced depicting beautiful women, famous places, and kabuki theater, as well as his energetic work on hand-painted paintings.
This exhibition sheds light on the works of Hokusai's "Hokusai era," bringing together a diverse selection of pieces carefully chosen from collections in Japan and abroad — including illustrated kyoka books, yomihon, surimono prints, Western-style prints that pioneered new artistic territory, and hand-painted works. Tracing the trajectory of Hokusai's bold artistic challenges during his most productive years, the exhibition offers a perspective different from previous Hokusai exhibitions.
Exhibition Overview
- Exhibition title: HOKUSAI
- Period: Saturday, May 22, 2027 – Monday, July 19, 2027 (national holiday)
- Venue: Abeno Harukas Art Museum (Osaka)
- Co-organizers: NHK Osaka Broadcasting Station, NHK Enterprises Kinki, The Yomiuri Shimbun
