Item Description
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Work Details
Series: Unusual Views of Famous Bridges in Various Provinces
Title: Kōzuke Sano Funabashi no Kozu (Old Picture of Boat-Bridge at Sano Kozuke Province)
Artist: Katsushika Hokusai
Date: c. 1833–1834 (Tenpō 4–5)
Technique / Material: Large-format Nishiki-e woodblock print
Image Size: 42.5 × 25.5 cm (16.7 × 10.0 in)
This print is part of Hokusai’s bridge-themed series published after his famous landscape works.
The series depicts notable bridges from across Japan.
This particular design portrays a temporary funabashi (boat bridge)—constructed by lining up boats and placing planks across them—set up for festivals at Sano Tenjin Shrine in Kōzuke Province (present-day Gunma Prefecture).
The title includes the word “Kozu” (old illustration) because the bridge no longer existed during the Edo period when the print was made.
The bridge is believed to have been located in Sano, now part of Takasaki City, spanning the Karasu River.
The composition shows people and horses crossing the curved boat bridge in falling snow, creating a poetic winter scene.
The striking contrast of blue and white tones enhances the atmosphere.
This is the only snow scene in the series and is highly regarded for its sophisticated composition, characteristic of Hokusai’s style.
The legendary bridge depicted here is referenced in the classical poetry anthology Manyoshu.
This masterpiece is also known for having been collected by the Impressionist painter Claude Monet.
Overview
A valuable work that illustrates both an imaginative reconstruction and a historical landmark, offering insight into famous sites and cultural traditions of Edo-period Japan.