Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji – SoraNews24 —Japan News— https://soranews24.com Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today. Wed, 22 Jul 2026 11:51:33 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.4 https://soranews24.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2020/05/en_rocket_1024.png?w=32 Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji – SoraNews24 —Japan News— https://soranews24.com 32 32 176746664 Hatsune Miku collaborates with Hokusai’s art in new Vocaloid ukiyo-e illustration series [Pics] https://soranews24.com/2026/07/17/hatsune-miku-collaborates-with-hokusais-art-in-new-vocaloid-ukiyo-e-illustration-series-pics/ https://soranews24.com/2026/07/17/hatsune-miku-collaborates-with-hokusais-art-in-new-vocaloid-ukiyo-e-illustration-series-pics/#comments Thu, 16 Jul 2026 17:30:35 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=738848

The styles of six virtual idols, one modern-day illustrator, and one legend of Japanese art history come together in beautiful ways.

Earlier this week, we took a look at a new project for Hatsune Miku that’s steeped in the Japanese tradition of high school extracurricular clubs kicking things up a notch in the summertime. But now the original virtual idol is getting even more traditional, as she and her Vocaloid friends are stepping into the works of Japan’s most famous painter, ukiyo-e master Katsushika Hokusai.

The third contributor to this creative crossover is illustrator Rella, who’s served as an artist for previous official Hatsune Miku projects. While the new initiative is called “Katsushika Hokusai x Hatsune Miku Rella,” it could have also been called “Katsushika Hokusai x Hatsune Miku Kagamine Rin, Kagamine Len, Megurine Luka, Meiko, Kaito Rella,” since there are a total of six Vocaloids featured in the collection of artwork and merch.

As the most famous of the Vocaloid bunch, though, Miku is the star of the show here, given a place in both regular and super-deformed proportions on The Great Wave off Kanagawa, the most widely recognized of Hokusai’s woodblock prints, and arguably the best-known Japanese painting of all time.

The Great Wave off Kanagawa is part of Hokusai’s Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, a sort of visual travelogue of eastern Japan in the early 1800s. Another painting in the series, Reflection from Misaka Pass in Kai Province, is graced by Kagamine Rin…

…and also by her twin brother, Len.

▼ Twins share everything, even, apparently, ukiyo-e environments.

Megurine Luka makes her appearance in Gotenyama Shinagawa Along the Tokaido, where the pink of her hair pairs nicely with the bull-bloom cherry tree blossoms between her and Mt. Fuji’s snow-blanketed peak.

We have more complementary colors as Meiko sits beside the Akafuji/Red Fuji of Fine Wind, Clear Morning, looking more than a little like a giantess in the process.

And finally, showing her caring and magnanimous attitude towards her younger brethren, Miku lets Kaito hang out on The Great Wave too.

In total, there are 12 illustrations, with regular and SD versions for Vocaloid. There’s also an impressively wide array of items on offer, with the artwork presented on clear files, key holders, acrylic standees, and pins.

For larger-scale displays, there are also bath towels, tapestries, tote bags, and cloth posters, though the first of those three seem to be limited to just the regular Miku illustration.

Also included in the lineup are zippered pouches, a slick squared-off pen case, and a folding fan, the last of which seems especially appropriate given the classical art connection.

However, while the merch lineup and prices have been announced (with nothing mentioned above over 4,000 yen), Presence, the licensing company behind the Katsushika Hokusai x Hatsune Miku Rella project, hasn’t yet said when the items will go on sale, or what channels they’ll be sold through. Still, when they do appear they’re going to look very cool, and considering that The Great Wave off Kanagawa was originally painted all the way back in 1831, a few more weeks or months doesn’t seem like too long to wait for the Hatsune Miku update.

Related: Presence
Source: PR Times
Top image: PR Times
Insert images: PR Times, Presence
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2026/07/17/hatsune-miku-collaborates-with-hokusais-art-in-new-vocaloid-ukiyo-e-illustration-series-pics/feed/ 0 738848 1_bfee47 Masterpieces of Japanese art brought to you through cake and cookies https://soranews24.com/2025/09/29/masterpieces-of-japanese-art-brought-to-you-through-cake-and-cookies/ https://soranews24.com/2025/09/29/masterpieces-of-japanese-art-brought-to-you-through-cake-and-cookies/#comments Mon, 29 Sep 2025 13:00:53 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=713518

Inspiringly delicious.

Hokusai’s classic Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji series of woodblock prints has been incorporated into just about every object imaginable — from electric guitars to bras — to give them that extra feeling of sophistication. The works, which include his iconic The Great Wave off Kanagawa, have also been reimagined as foods and drinks frequently over the years, but perhaps none as vividly as these desserts by Katanukiya.

Their Little Views of Mount Fuji series of snacks starts with a collection of Baumkuchen. Actually, these are flat-baked Baumkuchen made in a slightly different way from the traditional German method using a revolving spit. To flat-bake a Baumkuchen, one must first spread a very thin layer of cake batter onto a pan and bake it. They then have to repeatedly add layers of batter, baking each time very carefully, until the full cake is complete.

For these cakes, an additional layer of sponge cake made with egg whites is put on top. The reason for this is that the sponge cake provides a very smooth canvas for the works of Hokusai to be printed on with high-definition food printers. As a result, even the subtle gradation of colors is retained in these cakes.

Katanukiya even goes the extra mile and cuts along key lines in the works. This way, after you open your Baumkuchen, you can appreciate their visual beauty a little longer by playing with them and adjusting the two parts to make them 3D.

These cakes are available in The Great Wave off Kanagawa, Fujimigahara Field in Owari Province, and Fine Wind, Clear Morning. They sell for 594 yen (US$3.97) each or 1,782 yen as a set.

In addition to German, Katanukiya is also reinventing French baked goods with their Little Views of Mount Fuji Baton Macarons. Unlike your usual circular macarons, these have an elongated shape, but with that same light and crispy texture.

The longer shapes also help Katanukiya to fit Hokusai’s landscapes on them more easily. For 1,926 yen, you can buy the set of all eight macarons featuring The Great Wave off Kanagawa, Thunderstorm Beneath the Summit, Under Mannen Bridge at Fukagawa, Fujimigahara Field in Owari Province, Kajikazawa in Kai Province, Enoshima in Sagami Province, Gotenyama and Shinagawa Along the Tokaido, and Fine Wind, Clear Morning.

It’s hard to say exactly why, but seeing these masterpieces in such detail on cakes and cookies somehow makes them look extremely appetizing. Unfortunately, they’re only sold at two Katanukiya locations in Shibuya near the Scramble and in the Ginza area of Tokyo, but pop-up stores are planned in the future, so keep your eyes peeled elsewhere in Japan.

Store information
Katanukiya / カタヌキヤ
Address: Tokyo-to, Shibuya-ku, Shibuya 2-24-12, Shibuya Scramble Square Shop & Restaurant 1F
東京都渋谷区渋谷二丁目24番12号 渋谷スクランブルスクエア ショップ＆レストラン1階
Address: Tokyo-to, Chuo-ku, Ginza 1-4-3, Ginza Ginger (Ginza main store) 1F
東京都中央区銀座1丁目4-3 銀座のジンジャー・銀座本店1階
Website

Source, images: PR Times
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2025/09/29/masterpieces-of-japanese-art-brought-to-you-through-cake-and-cookies/feed/ 1 713518 Cafe turns Japan’s most beautiful paintings into beautiful shaved ice dessert drinks【Photos】 https://soranews24.com/2025/06/05/cafe-turns-japans-most-beautiful-paintings-into-beautiful-shaved-ice-dessert-drinks%e3%80%90photos%e3%80%91/ https://soranews24.com/2025/06/05/cafe-turns-japans-most-beautiful-paintings-into-beautiful-shaved-ice-dessert-drinks%e3%80%90photos%e3%80%91/#comments Wed, 04 Jun 2025 17:30:21 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=703706

Refreshing Hokusai woodblock prints you can drink arrive in time for summer.

Unimocc Art Cafe Gallery has a name that goes from cryptic to clear with impressive quickness. Part drink/dessert spot and part exhibition space, Unimocc’s appreciation of the visual arts extends to the design of its food and drinks. The cafe serves up “Canvas Cakes,” which come with palettes of creams and frostings to apply to your liking, and “Art Mock Drinks,” which draw inspiration from famous paintings.

▼ Here, for example, is their previous Art Mock Drink for Edvard Munch’s The Scream.

This summer, Unimocc is serving back-to-back salutes to Katsushika Hokusai, the most celebrated painter in Japanese art history. Hokusai was a prolific artist, but he’s best known for the Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji series of woodblock prints, and the two most celebrated paintings from that series are serving as Unimocc’s new dessert drink motifs.

Coming first is the drink modeled after Fine Wind, Clear Morning, more popularly known as “Akafuji” (“Red Fuji”). Here, an artistically cut sheet of kanten (Japnese-style agar gelatin) is arranged on one side of the cup to stand in for the slopes of Mt. Fuji at sunrise. Accompanying this edible mountain are chunks of honeyed apple, yuzu citrus gelatin, and layers of ginger soda and blue soda (which has a sweet/tart apple flavor). The key ingredient, though, is the yuzu granita, frozen syrup with the consistency of shaved ice, which helps keep everything suspended in its proper place so that Hokusai’s painting can be recreated within the cup.

The Fine Wind, Clear Morning is available now, but in mid-summer it’ll be replaced by a different beverage that takes its cues from the most famous Japanese painting of all, The Great Wave Off Kanagawa.

Here the drink base is grapefruit granita, with a deep-blue jasmine soda, jasmine gelatin, and frothy jasmine foam contributing to the ocean in a cup. An especially clever part of the visual package are the streaks of cream, hand-brushed by the cafe staff, on the inside edge of the vessel to represent the peaks of the crashing waves, and near the ocean floor you’ll find sliced apple and a rich matcha green tea sauce, adding a bit of tantalizing bitterness to what promises to be a complexing compelling flavor profile.

The Fine Wind, Clear Morning drink is priced at 1,800 yen (US$12.40), and the The Great Wave Off Kanagawa is 1,700 yen. Concurrent with their respective beverages, Unimocc will also be offering Canvas Cakes for each as part of a drink set starting at 3,250 yen, with an additional charge if you elect to upgrade your beverage to an Art Mock Drink.

The Fine Wind, Clear Morning drink and cake will be on offer until July 21, while The Great Wave Off Kanagawa’s time is from July 23 to September 19.

Cafe information
Unimocc Art Cafe Gallery
Address: Osaka-fu, Osaka-shi, Chuo-ku, Takomachi 6-3-25
大阪府大阪市中央区谷町6丁目3-25
Open 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
Closed Tuesdays (open if Tuesday is a holiday)
Website

Source: PR Times via Japaaan
Top image: PR Times
Insert images: PR Times, Unimocc, PR Times (2)
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2025/06/05/cafe-turns-japans-most-beautiful-paintings-into-beautiful-shaved-ice-dessert-drinks%e3%80%90photos%e3%80%91/feed/ 0 703706 AD 1 Japanese samurai randoseru backpack lets you carry the bushido spirit with you wherever you go https://soranews24.com/2024/11/05/japanese-samurai-randoseru-backpack-lets-you-carry-the-bushido-spirit-with-you-wherever-you-go/ https://soranews24.com/2024/11/05/japanese-samurai-randoseru-backpack-lets-you-carry-the-bushido-spirit-with-you-wherever-you-go/#comments Tue, 05 Nov 2024 13:00:40 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=682797

Award-winning warrior knapsack now available for sale.

Part of what makes a good warrior is being able to think on your feet and repurpose materials to suit your own needs. That ethos is certainly evident in a new limited-edition backpack produced by Murase Kabanko, a Japanese bag manufacturer that’s been in business since 1957.

The new bag is so unique it recently won the artistic design award at the Japan Leather Award 2024, where it received glowing praise from judges for both its looks and its clever use of scraps left over from the leather-making process. The judges also felt it would help children become “more courageous”, as randoseru (sturdy backpacks with rounded lids like these) are commonly used by elementary school children in Japan.

Randoseru are known for being so tough one is enough to last children the entire duration of elementary school, from kindergarten through to year six. You won’t find a tougher looking randoseru than this one, though, and you don’t have to be a child to use it, as randoseru are so beloved a lot of adults have been adding them to their wardrobes as well.

▼ With every bag crafted by hand, this is not your everyday schoolbag.

Leather scraps that would otherwise go to waste are given a new life in this samurai design, with brass studs helping to affix them securely in place.

The bag is the brainchild of Kenki Okada, a randoseru craftsman who has long been producing products for the company and recently received Level 1 certification in this year’s Technical Certification Examination for Handbags and Accessories (Leather Division).

Murase Kabanko is also selling another bag that’s been attracting a lot of attention recently: the Ukiyoe Fugaku.

Fugaku is another word for Mt Fuji, and this bag is modelled on one of the famous ukiyoe block prints from the renowned series “Fugaku Sanjuurokkei” (“Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji“) by Japanese artist Hokusai (1760–1849).

Both randoseru are just two of many impressive designs produced by the company, and they’re a remarkable display of just what can be achieved in the world of randoseru backpacks. Like any well-made product, though, these come with a hefty price, as they retail for 500,000 yen (US$3,284.83) each.

Still, if you have the money to spare, these are rare bags that’ll turn heads everywhere you go, whether you’re using them for school or work. They can be purchased at the Murase Kabanko website, with approximately six months required for delivery, as each one is made to order. And if you’re shopping for your pup, there’s a randoseru backpack for them too.

Source: Murase Kabanko  
Featured image: Murase Kabanko
Insert images: Murase Kabanko  (1, 2), press release
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2024/11/05/japanese-samurai-randoseru-backpack-lets-you-carry-the-bushido-spirit-with-you-wherever-you-go/feed/ 0 682797 Japanese randoseru samurai school backpack buy shop online hokusai ukiyoe thirty six views Mt Fuji art news 4 Coca Cola releases new Mt Fuji bottles in Japan https://soranews24.com/2023/03/04/coca-cola-releases-mt-fuji-bottles-in-japan/ https://soranews24.com/2023/03/04/coca-cola-releases-mt-fuji-bottles-in-japan/#comments Fri, 03 Mar 2023 15:00:30 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=617265

Hokusai’s Great Wave off Kanagawa gets a new look for this souvenir coke bottle design. 

Back in 2017, Coca-Cola began packaging its signature drink in special limited-edition bottles in Japan, showcasing some of the country’s top sightseeing destinations from Sapporo to Setouchi.

Now, there’s a new design appearing in stores, and unlike the regional varieties, which were only available in their respective cities, this one can be purchased all around the country, with the exception of Okinawa.

The Japan-exclusive design captures the essence of the country with motifs from a very famous artwork that are instantly recognisable.

▼ The new product is called “Coca-Cola Slim Bottle Japanese Pattern Design“

Splashed across the slim bottle is the giant wave and Mt Fuji, two of the main motifs from The Great Wave off Kanagawa, a woodblock print created in 1831 by Japanese ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849).

While the vivid indigo blue from the original print has been significantly muted to complement Coca-Cola’s brand colours and create an on-trend colour palette for 2023, the energy and vitality of the iconic artwork helps to generate a strong visual for the new design.

It’s an eye-catching bottle that’s sure to appeal to locals and tourists alike so keep an eye out for it in stores, where each 250 millilitre bottle will be on sale from 27 February at a recommended retail price of 125 yen (US$0.91).

And with sakura season just around the corner, there might be a new cherry blossom bottle coming our way soon too!

Source, images: PR Times
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2023/03/04/coca-cola-releases-mt-fuji-bottles-in-japan/feed/ 0 617265 Coca Cola Japan Mt Fuji bottle new design souvenir drink 1 Hokusai’s The Great Wave off Kanagawa woodblock print splashes into Lego art in early 2023 https://soranews24.com/2023/01/02/hokusais-the-great-wave-off-kanagawa-woodblock-print-splashes-into-lego-art-in-early-2023/ https://soranews24.com/2023/01/02/hokusais-the-great-wave-off-kanagawa-woodblock-print-splashes-into-lego-art-in-early-2023/#comments Mon, 02 Jan 2023 03:00:58 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=612053

It will be nothing but smooth sailing when assembling your very own 3-D version of the world’s most recognizable wave.

Edo-period artist Katsushika Hokusai’s most famous individual woodblock print, The Great Wave off Kanagawa has been reproduced in many forms of media, including functional ones for everyday life, since it was introduced to the world in 1831. Lego Japan will soon claim fame to the newest version when it releases a Lego version of the iconic image from Hokusai’s Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji.

▼ “The Great Wave off Kanagawa” in Lego form

The artistic piece was partly inspired by Lego’s Play Well 2022 Report, in which 93 percent of surveyed adults responded that they experience regular stress and 80 percent are looking for new ways to relax. Taking that to heart, designers created the work using 1,810 blocks, promising Lego artists at least a few hours of good time to unwind while creating the image.

▼ With dimensions of 52.7 x 39.9 x 2.6 centimeters (20.7 x 15.7 x 1 inches), you can proudly display your finished product on the wall as a piece of fine art.

Uniquely, the design utilizes layers of blocks that quite literally splash out of the frame to recreate the depth of Hokusai’s lines.

▼ Lego art promises a dynamic finished canvas.

The box also comes with a premium booklet introducing Hokusai’s original artwork and all kinds of background information. In addition, Lego even offers a special soundtrack including more historical trivia to listen to while assembling your masterpiece.

▼ Art meets play

The new “Great Wave off Kanagawa” Lego art will go on sale on February 1, 2023 for an undetermined price. It’s a fitting time to celebrate the artwork with its glimpse of Mt. Fuji in the background, since 2023 marks the 10-year anniversary of Mt. Fuji becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Perhaps while waiting for its release we’ll kill some time by chilling with another round of our very own artistically inspired 36 Views of the Mount Fuji Bar.

Source, images: PR Times
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2023/01/02/hokusais-the-great-wave-off-kanagawa-woodblock-print-splashes-into-lego-art-in-early-2023/feed/ 0 612053 1 Mt Fuji and Raijin and Fujin lingerie sets let you wear your love for Japan under your clothes https://soranews24.com/2022/12/24/mt-fuji-and-raijin-and-fujin-lingerie-sets-let-you-wear-your-love-for-japan-under-your-clothes/ https://soranews24.com/2022/12/24/mt-fuji-and-raijin-and-fujin-lingerie-sets-let-you-wear-your-love-for-japan-under-your-clothes/#comments Sat, 24 Dec 2022 05:00:45 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=611278

Keep the gods of wind and thunder close to your chest.

For the last couple of years, Japanese lingerie retailer Peach John has been bringing the world of art to lingerie with their “Master’s Bra” series. Inspired by artistic masterpieces by the likes of Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh and Czech painter Alfons Maria Mucha, the series is now welcoming two new Japanese works of art to the fold.

The first style is “Red Fuji Blue“, which is an homage to Red Fuji, one of the most popular works in the widely acclaimed Thirty-six Views of Mt Fuji by esteemed ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849).

The design faithfully reproduces the iconic red Mt Fuji that appears in Hokusai’s masterpiece, along with the clouds that appear in the blue sky alongside it. The clouds also flit across the pants, which are embellished with a frill to add an ethereal softness to the look.

The second style is “Fujin Raijin Gold“, modelled on the famous Fujin Raijin-zu Folding Screens painted by Sotatsu Tawaraya (1570-1643) in the early 17th Century. The screens, now listed as a national treasure, show Wind God Fujin and Thunder God Raijin on a glistening gold background, and the bra does a beautiful job of replicating the artwork, with the dynamic movements of each god shown on the cups.

▼ Wind God Fujin can be seen on the cup to the right, while Thunder God Raijin graces the cup on the left.

▼ The gods also appear on the matching pants.

The bras are priced at 4,500 yen (US$34.12) each, while the pants are priced at 1,910 yen. They can be purchased at Peach John stockists and online, and if you’d like to add more art to your underwear, Hokusai’s Great Wave lingerie set is available as well, and it’s currently on sale.

Source, images: PR Times
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2022/12/24/mt-fuji-and-raijin-and-fujin-lingerie-sets-let-you-wear-your-love-for-japan-under-your-clothes/feed/ 0 611278 Mt Fuji bra Red Hokusai Raijin Fujin God of thunder lightning Japanese models ukiyoe art shop lingerie photos 1 Dr. Martens’ Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji collection is a work of wearable art https://soranews24.com/2022/11/24/dr-martens-thirty-six-views-of-mt-fuji-collection-is-a-work-of-wearable-art/ https://soranews24.com/2022/11/24/dr-martens-thirty-six-views-of-mt-fuji-collection-is-a-work-of-wearable-art/#comments Wed, 23 Nov 2022 15:00:35 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=608461

The Great Wave off Kanagawa meets street style for a new generation.

Iconic British footwear and clothing brand Dr. Martens has been stepping out of the box recently by teaming up with various companies for a number of limited-edition releases. However, their latest collaboration, with New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, looks to be one of their best yet, as it features the art of Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849), the Japanese ukiyo-e artist famous for works such as the Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji landscape series, from which this release takes its design cues.

The three-piece collection consists of the original 1460 boot and original 1461 shoe — the numbers are a nod to the respective 1 April and 1960 and 1961 release dates — with the three-eyelet shoe adorned in Fuji from Gotenyama at Shinagawa on the Tokaido from Hokusai’s Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji.

The boot features The Great Wave off Kanagawa from the same series, with careful placement of details to create a wearable piece of art.

The Great Wave also features on the backpack, which is bound to turn heads wherever you go.

This first collaboration between Dr. Martens and The Met is said to pay tribute to “the timeless energy and inspiration of Hokusai’s work”, while expressing the artist’s worldview on Dr. Martens products as a canvas.

▼ Take a look at this video made to promote the collaboration, featuring London-based Japanese woodblock artist Hiroko Imada.

While The Met encouragingly reminds us that whoever wears the products is an art collector, you’ll need the budget of an art collector to purchase the products, as the shoes retail for 24,200 yen (US$171.41), the boots for 27,500 yen and the backpack for 35,200 yen.

Still, if you have the money to splurge on Doc Martens, these are investment pieces you won’t regret buying. The collection will be available at Dr. Martens stores and online from 26 November.

Source, images: PR Times
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2022/11/24/dr-martens-thirty-six-views-of-mt-fuji-collection-is-a-work-of-wearable-art/feed/ 0 608461 DR. MARTENS X THE MET Hokusai boots collection Japanese ukiyoe art shoes backpack bag collection photos artist video 1 New Mt Fuji bra set lets you wear Japanese art under your clothes https://soranews24.com/2021/05/15/new-mt-fuji-bra-set-lets-you-wear-japanese-art-under-your-clothes/ https://soranews24.com/2021/05/15/new-mt-fuji-bra-set-lets-you-wear-japanese-art-under-your-clothes/#comments Fri, 14 May 2021 15:00:34 +0000 https://soranews24.com/?p=541919

Arty lingerie series pays homage to Hokusai’s Great Wave.

Back in May last year, Japanese mail-order lingerie retailer Peach John released a new bra set inspired by Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh entitled “Gogh Yellow”.

▼ The pretty two-piece was so popular it sold out a week after its release.

Following on from the success of this artfully designed number, the company is now releasing another bra set inspired by another famous painter, this time with plenty of stock on hand to ensure they don’t sell out as fast as last year.

▼ Say hello to “Hokusai Blue“, inspired by legendary Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849)

The print on this new bra will be familiar to people around the world as it features the seaside scene depicted in Hokusai’s famous Great Wave off Kanagawa, arguably the most well-known ukiyoe woodblock print from his globally lauded Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji series.

▼ The Great Wave off Kanagawa is believed to have been first published sometime between 1829-1833

Image: Wikipedia/Katsushika Hokusai – Metropolitan Museum of Art

Centuries after it was created, the stunning print is now being used to adorn the curves of a woman, with the giant wave splashing its spray over one cup as a boat rides another wave in front of Mt Fuji on the other.

▼ Sea foam and a series of undulating waves adorn the matching briefs and G-string.

Hokusai Blue is the latest design in Peach John’s “Master’s Bra” collection that pays homage to masterpieces from the art world. To celebrate, the new arrival will be joined by a re-release of previous Master’s Bras, namely the Gogh Yellow, inspired by Gogh’s Sunflowers…

And the Mucha Ecru, which takes its design inspiration from The Four Flowers – Rose by Czech painter, illustrator and graphic artist Alfons Maria Mucha.

All the bras in the series are priced at 4,378 yen (US$39.94), while the briefs and G-strings are priced at 1,628 yen each.

The lingerie sets can be purchased at the Peach John online store, where you’ll also be able to pick up some unusual Barbie designs to suit all shapes and sizes.

Source, images: PR Times
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2021/05/15/new-mt-fuji-bra-set-lets-you-wear-japanese-art-under-your-clothes/feed/ 0 541919 Japanese underwear bra Peach John models Katsushika Hokusai Thirty six Views of Mt Fuji ukiyoe art great wave Kanagawa fashion photos 10 Japan’s new ukiyo-e woodblock print passports are beautiful, now in travelers’ hands【Photos】 https://soranews24.com/2020/06/05/japans-new-ukiyo-e-woodblock-print-passports-are-beautiful-now-in-travelers-hands%e3%80%90photos%e3%80%91/ https://soranews24.com/2020/06/05/japans-new-ukiyo-e-woodblock-print-passports-are-beautiful-now-in-travelers-hands%e3%80%90photos%e3%80%91/#comments Thu, 04 Jun 2020 17:30:46 +0000 http://soranews24.com/?p=504073

Passport holders in Japan now have a miniature gallery of the works of Hokusai, the country’s most famous traveling painter.

Long ago, back in the days before glossy guidebooks or photo-filled travel websites, it was painters who gave people glimpses of the scenery waiting on the other side of the horizon. One such itinerant artist was Katsushika Hokusai, Japan’s most celebrated ukiyo-e woodblock painter, whose works include the famous Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji series, inspired by Hokusai’s travels around Japan with the country’s highest mountain visible in the background of each.

The Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji were painted between 1830 and 1832, but this week they’re once again captivating those with a taste for travel as people in Japan receive their new, and absolutely gorgeous, passports.

▼ “I renewed my passport, and the new design is so much cooler than the old one.”

パスポート更新したんだけど、めっちゃかっこよくなってた pic.twitter.com/01yylryXKW

— はるふぅー (@hrmg_huu42) May 31, 2020

入籍したからパスポート更新。
結婚したら10年に切り替えるって決めてたので、赤いパスポートは夢だったから地味に嬉しい。そして何よりTwitterでデザインが新しくなったの知ってたから楽しみにしてたけど本当に素敵！これからたくさんスタンプ押せますように！ pic.twitter.com/hwHuKIGtee

— suglマレーシア在住 (@osugitopchan) June 4, 2020

As initially announced in 2016, Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has begun issuing redesigned passports with Hokusai’s artwork gracing the visa stamp pages. With the entire Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji series actually consisting of 46 paintings, there’s not room for all of them, but the Ministry has selected the best-known and most historically significant, including, naturally, The Great Wave off Kanagawa, arguably the most famous piece of Japanese artwork every produced.

▼ Here we see Ejiri in Suruga Province (corresponding to present-day Shizuoka Prefecture), Mitsui shop in Suruga in Edo (Tokyo), and Nihonbashi in Edo.

苗字変わったのでパスポート新しく作成し今日受け取ったら……ビックリ
全ページ違う絵！！
元々持ってたカバーに合わせたら北斎推しが凄くなった pic.twitter.com/wphpjhKKnF

— とねちゃん (@t0nek0) June 2, 2020

▼ Tea house at Koishikawa. The morning after a snowfall (Tokyo)

新しいパスポートのデザイン、中々行けてますね pic.twitter.com/OE42BspJwo

— Ko (@ko_shanghai) June 1, 2020

In total, 24 prints from the series can be found within the pages of the new Japanese passport.

▼ Of the thousands of artists’ depictions of Mt. Fuji, South Wind, Clear Sky (second from left, second from top), also known as “Red Fuji,” is the most iconic.

While the ministry began issuing the new passports earlier this year, they’ve had a resurgence in attention over the past few days, with many applicants receiving theirs ahead of what would, in ordinary circumstances, be the lead-up to a surge in overseas travel from Japan during the summer months.

日本らしくていいですよね pic.twitter.com/lEeYZtgpxa

— くね (@ArihaKurone) June 1, 2020

Unfortunately, with the continuing effects of the coronavirus crisis resulting in many trips being cancelled or at least postponed, it’s probably going to be a while until these new ukiyo-e travel documents get used, but in the meantime Japanese passport holders can take pride in knowing that theirs is not only one of the strongest in the world, but also one of the most beautiful.

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
Top image: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
Images: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan
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]]> https://soranews24.com/2020/06/05/japans-new-ukiyo-e-woodblock-print-passports-are-beautiful-now-in-travelers-hands%e3%80%90photos%e3%80%91/feed/ 0 504073 JP 42 Japan’s new ukiyo-e passports are going to look awesome https://soranews24.com/2016/05/20/japans-new-ukiyo-e-passports-are-going-to-look-awesome/ https://soranews24.com/2016/05/20/japans-new-ukiyo-e-passports-are-going-to-look-awesome/#comments Thu, 19 May 2016 16:00:29 +0000 http://en.rocketnews24.com/?p=321444

When Japanese travelers go abroad, they’ll be taking some of the country’s most famous and beautiful examples of woodblock print artwork with them.

A while back I had to renew my passport, and when my new one came in the mail my wife was amazed at how incredibly American it is. Splashed across every visa page is an iconic American scene, such as the Statue of Liberty standing tall, a pair of grazing buffalo, or a group of cowboys leading their herd on a cattle drive.

But Japan’s passports have their own makeover in the works that will provide just as much national color and character. As just announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the not-too-distant future Japanese passports will be graced by the artwork of Katsushika Hokusai, Japan’s most celebrated painter and woodblock artist.

As the conclusion of a project to find a new design that would be both representative of Japanese culture and difficult to counterfeit, the ministry-appointed committee has decided to use a selection of works from Hokusai’s famous Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji ukiyo-e series.

▼ Edo Nihonbashi and Fine Wind, Clear Morning, as they will appear in the new passports (top) and in their Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji forms (bottom)

However, Japanese passports aren’t 36 pages long, which means there’s not room to include every single piece from Hokusai’s series. In the end, the committee decided on 24 prints to be used, which includes such internationally recognized masterpieces as The Great Wave off Kanagawa and Koshu Kajikazawa

▼ The complete set of Hokusai works that will appear in the new passports (no word on whether or not the 12 prints that didn’t make the cut will be used for people requesting additional pages).

The new passports are scheduled to be introduced in 2019. Oddly enough, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs says this timing was partially chosen so that they’ll be ready in time for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, during which one would expect a smaller-than-normal number of Japanese citizens to be travelling abroad. Still, if that self-imposed deadline means we get to see these traveling works of art sooner, so much the better.

Follow Casey on Twitter, where as a proud resident of Kanagawa he’ll take any opportunity to brag about the Great Wave ukiyo-e print.

Source: Japaaan
Top image: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wikipedia/Muttley (edited by RocketNews24)
Insert images: Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1, 2) (edited by RocketNews24)

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