Hokusai and Producers: From Tsutaya Jūzaburō to Today

The exhibition features how the publishers, called hanmoto, produced Hokusai's work and what works each introduced to the world. It introduces the Edo-period hanmoto Tsutaya

Juzaburo who recognized Hokusai's artistic abilities early on, Nishimuraya Yohachi, who published the Thirty-six views of Mount Fuji, and made it a big hit, and EirakuyaTōshirō, who published Sketches by Hokusai, as well as the works of contemporary artists inspired by Hokusai, which present studios continue to produce ukiyo-e as traditional woodblock prints.

Explore the world of those art producers, spanning from Tsutaya Juzaburo in the Edo period to modern hanmoto, and their impact on today's ukiyo-e world.

It is on view from March 18th to May 25th, 2025 at The Sumida Hokusai Museum.

Original picture: Katsushika Hokusai, Third Month, Contest of Floral Beauty, from the series Niwaka Festivals of the Twelve Months, The Sumida Hokusai Museum (2nd term)

*The picture is adjusted for the exhibition visuals.

The hanmoto in the Edo period played rolls similar to those of a present-day publisher, distributor, retail bookstore, and second-hand bookstore.

And there are two groups: Shomotsu donya which handled scholarly books and Jihon donya (ezōshiya) which dealt with popular recreational fiction, including the illustrated books known as kusazōshi and ukiyo-e prints.

This exhibition spotlights jihon donya.

Now let's examine the work of the hanmoto.

1. Tsutaya Jūzaburō, Virtuoso Producer

   You can explore the impact of the first and second Tsutaya Jūzaburō on Hokusai and the works he created for them, as well as related reference materials.

   
   

*Tsutaya Jūzaburō I, nicknamed Tsutajū, was born in the Shin Yoshiwara, licensed quarter, in 1750. During 1772 and 1781, he opened a bookstore on the Gojikken Road, which led to the entrance to the Shin Yoshiwara. And then he moved to Tōri Aburachō, in Nihonbashi.

His brilliant talent to perceive what would appeal to people at that time contributed to the publishing kibyōshi (illustrated popular fiction), collections of kyōka (satirical verse), and other books. He also published nishiki-e, polychrome prints.

He discovered new talented ukiyo-e masters, such as Kitagawa Utamaro (1753-1806) and Tōshusai Sharaku, and popular fiction writers, Ota Nanpo (1749-1823) and Santo Kyoden (1761-1816).

In 1791, after publishing a book by Santo Kyoden, he was punished with a large fine under the effec of the Kansei reforms (1789-1801)

In 1797, he died of an illness at the age of 48.

Hokusai depicted Tsutajū's shop named Kōshodo.

*Tsutaya Jūzaburō II

According to Kyokutei Bakin's diary and other sources, Yūsuke who worked for Tsutaya Jūzaburō as a top employee succeeded the business as Tsutaya Jūzaburō II.

He published kibyōshi novels and kyōka books written and illustrated by Hokusai.

2. Other Producers Associated with Hokusai 

   You can explore other hanmotos' work besides Tsutaya Jūzaburō.

*A Long-established Firm from Kyoto: Tsuruya Kiemon

Tsuruya Kiemon, who had been Shomotsu donya in Kyoto opened a shop in Edo during the period 1658-1661. This leading hanmoto published the works of Hishikawa Moronobu (?-1694), considered one of the first major ukiyo-e  artists, and then works of Kitagawa Utamaro (1753-1806) and Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858).

The firm faced a series of misfortunes. A big fire burnt down the firm. The head of the firm suddenly died in 1833.  Due to the Tempo Reforms (1841-1843), the banning of Ryutei Tanehiko's book, Nise Murasaki, Inaka Genji (Fake Murasaki, Yokel Genji) which the firm published, significantly accelerated the business decline.

*Tsutaya's Biggest Rival: Nishimuraya Yohachi

The Nishimuraya was in business in three generations as Jihon donya and Shomotsu donya at Bakurochō nichōme (now Nihonbashi Bakurochō, Chuo City). This hanmoto contributed to the establishment of ukiyo-e landscape prints by publishing Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, depicted by Hokusai.

*The Eirakuya Tōshirō, and Edo Talent, Kakumaruya Jinsuke

The Eirakuya was a prominent hanmoto in Nagoya, established in the period 1772-81. The second-generation head of the Eirakuya, Tōshirō, published Hokusai's renowned work, Sketches by Hokusai. He opened shops in Mino and Edo, cooperating with Tsutaya.

The Eirakuya continued its operations until 1951

Kakumaruya opened a shomotsu donya in Edo's Kōjimachi Hirakawachō and continued its business until the period 1844-48. Sketches by Hokusai were jointly published by the Eirakuya and Kakumaruya, and later were published by the Eirakuya alone.

Katsushika Hokusai, Sketches by Hokusai 1814-78

The Sumida Museum (all terms)

Taken by Michi at the press preview

*Iseya Sanjirō, the Hanmoto that Published Hokusai's Last Nishiki-e Series

This new jihon donya was established in the Tempo era (1830-44), originally in Kodenmachō sanchōme, but later moved to Honchō sanchōme Shinmachi and other locations.

The Iseya published Hokusai' s last nishiki-e series, One Hundred Poems Explained by a Nurse.

*Moriya Jihē: The Prominent Bakumatsu Hanmoto

The Moriya Jihē: jihon donya was established in Bakurochō nichōme in the Kansei era (1789-1801), and was nicknamed Moriji.

The Moriya published works by ukiyo-e masters such as Kitagawa Utamaro, Utagawa Toyokuni, Utagawa Kunisada, and Utagawa Hiroshige.

Though the firm had few skillful carvers, it published several of Hokusai's famous works Eight Views of the Ryūkyū Islands, A Thousand Pictures of the Sea, his Imagery of the Poets series, and his vertical ōban series of bird-and-flower prints.

3. The Production of Ukiyo-e Prints Today and Hokusai

   There are active studios that have been continuing with the traditional techniques of ukiyo-e prints from the Edo period. You can see contemporary artists' works inspired by Hokusai and produced by them.

   We hope you will discover Hokusai's influence and sense that the world of ukiyo-e print techniques remains alive and well today.

For more information, please access here.