When we think of great artists, we often picture them rooted in a studio, surrounded by their life’s work. Yet Katsushika Hokusai, one of the most celebrated ukiyo-e artists of the Edo period, lived a life that defied that image. According to legend, Hokusai moved homes over 100 times during his lifetime. This fascinating fact even found its way into the popular game Persona 5 Royal, proving that his story still captures imaginations today.
But why would an artist as revered as Hokusai live such a restless life? To understand, we have to dive into his character, his time, and his art.
Hokusai: A Life in Motion
Hokusai was not just one artist; he was many. Throughout his career, he adopted over 30 different art names and embraced six major transformations, each marking a new chapter in his artistic journey. (You can read more about this in our article “Hokusai Was Not One Artist, But Many”.)
This pattern of constant reinvention extended into his personal life. Sources suggest Hokusai moved close to 100 times, if not more. While most artists seek stability, Hokusai seemed to thrive in transience.
Why Did Hokusai Move So Often?
Several reasons may explain his nomadic lifestyle:
1. Financial Hardships
Although he achieved fame, Hokusai often struggled financially. Artists in Edo-period Japan did not always enjoy stable income. Moving could have been a way to avoid creditors or reduce living costs.
2. Minimalist Living
Hokusai reportedly owned very few possessions. Moving was not a grand event for him but a simple, almost casual act. This minimalist approach made it easier for him to seek new environments.
3. Creative Restlessness
Each new place offered a new perspective, new inspiration. Hokusai’s legendary “Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji” captures the same spirit—observing a single subject from many different angles.
4. Fires and Disasters
Edo was a city prone to fires. Entire neighborhoods could vanish overnight. Hokusai’s frequent moves might sometimes have been born from necessity rather than choice.
5. Spiritual Alignment
Hokusai deeply understood the transient nature of life—an essential principle of Japanese aesthetics like wabi-sabi and mono no aware. Constant movement mirrored the impermanence he captured so beautifully in his work.
Edo Japan: A City on the Move
It’s important to remember that moving homes in Edo-period Japan was far easier than it is today. Most people rented small rooms in nagaya (row houses). Their belongings were few, their expectations modest. Changing residences might be as normal as changing jobs.
Moreover, natural disasters, family obligations, or shifts in fortune could prompt frequent moves. In that context, Hokusai’s constant relocation seems less bizarre and more an extension of his time and place.
Hokusai’s Restlessness in His Art
Movement defines Hokusai’s art just as much as it defined his life.
Take his most iconic image, The Great Wave off Kanagawa. The colossal wave surges forward, dwarfing even sacred Mount Fuji. It’s a scene filled with kinetic energy, as if even mountains and oceans could not remain still.
Similarly, in his Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji, Hokusai explored a single subject from diverse locations, weather conditions, and viewpoints. His restless creativity demanded new angles, new experiences.
He once said:
“From the age of six, I had a mania for drawing the form of things.”
That “mania” kept him moving both in spirit and in body, seeking endlessly to capture the living world.
A Life of Humble Greatness
Despite his profound influence on Japanese and global art, Hokusai lived humbly to the end. In his later years, he adopted the name Gakyō Rōjin Manji — “The Old Man Mad About Art.”
Even on his deathbed, he reportedly said,
“If only Heaven will give me just another ten years… Just another five more years, then I could become a real painter.”
Always striving, always moving—this was the spirit of Hokusai.
Conclusion: An Artist of Eternal Motion
Hokusai’s endless moving was not a quirk; it was a reflection of his soul. Rooted in impermanence, driven by curiosity, and committed to the pursuit of beauty, he lived as he painted: never still.
Today, whether in scholarly circles or in pop culture phenomena like Persona 5 Royal, his restless spirit continues to inspire.
In the end, Hokusai’s 100 moves remind us that true creativity is a journey—never a destination.
Read more:
- 11 Things to Know About Collecting Japanese Woodblock Art
- The Symbolism of Koi in Zen and Japandi Interiors
- Why TASCHEN’s Hokusai is the Ultimate Gift for Fans of Ukiyo-e
- The Significance of Japanese Cranes in Ukiyo-e Art
- Why Mono no Aware Is the Soul of Japanese Ukiyo-e
At The Art of Zen we carry a selection of our own hand-crafted original Japanese art prints in the ukiyo-e and Japandi style. Some of our best selling work is Mount Fuji wall art and Japandi wall art.
Add some zen to your space with brilliant original art from the Art of Zen shop.
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