The Kazusa Province sea route

The Kazusa Province Sea Route or Kazusa no kairo is a marvellous piece painted than none other than the Japanese artist Hatsushika Hokusai. Like most of Hokusai's paintings, it is one involving the outdoors and of nature. In particular, it depicts the ocean.

However, The Kazusa Province Sea Route appears much calmer than his arguably most famous work The Great Wave off Kanagawa. The Kazusa Province Sea Route painting depicts a very large wooden boat sailing through a magnificent large and calm ocean. There appears to be a mountain in the background. It could be questioned why this painting is so different to his most famous work in which more violent and terrifying scenes are depicted. However, each painting needs to be looked at as it was intended: as part of a series.

The Kazusa Province Sea Route is 1 of 36 paintings in the 36 Views of Mount Fuji series. Like many artists, Hokusai would have had many feelings and emotions relating to his that could have been shown through his art. Life changes from emotion to emotion, and as violently and quickly or calmly as the ocean does. The piece was done in the same style as others in the series: by woodblock.

The first publication of this truly magnificent painting was circa 1830. Later editions have of course been made. They have been produced using the same technique as the originals in this series. Only experts can tell the differences between the originals and the copies. However, Hokusai himself did say that he could tell the difference between woodcutters, and was not shy to say when he was not happy with their work! The Kazusa Province Sea Route is a beautiful reflection of fantastic Asian art and one that has always been and will continue to be a phenomenal timeless piece.