Asakusa Hongan-ji Temple Hokusai Fine Japanese Postcard

36 Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku Sanjurokkei) is an ukiyoe series of large, color woodblock prints by the Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849). The series depicts Mount Fuji in different seasons and weather conditions from a variety of different places and distances. At 3776 meters, Mt. Fuji is the highest point in Japan. The ancient poets of Manyo wrote many songs about this mountain and during the Edo period it became a preferred subject of ukiyoe artists like Hiroshige and Hokusai. Being isolated and located near the coast, it appears taller than in reality, and always charms those who watch it by an exceptional beauty. This is number28 in the series and shows a Buddhist temple in the Asakusa district of Edo, now Tokyo. The picture emphasizes the extraordinary height of the building, which seems to dwarf the rest of the city, and even Mt. Fuji on the horizon. Only a fire watchtower and a kite approach the temple's reach for the sky.