Mitsui Shop at Surugachō in Edo - Katsushika Hokusai

A classic Ukiyo-e woodblock print by Katsushika Hokusai, featuring the Mitsui dry goods store in Edo framed against the distant peak of Mount Fuji.

This woodblock print is part of the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, a collection that established the landscape as a primary subject in Japanese art. Hokusai depicts the bustling Mitsui dry goods store in the Surugachō district of Edo, modern-day Tokyo. The composition uses the steep, triangular rooflines of the shop to frame the distant, snow-capped peak of Mount Fuji. This geometric arrangement creates a clear visual path from the commercial activity in the foreground to the natural icon in the background. In the upper right, workers are positioned on the roof, engaged in maintenance or perhaps kite-flying, a common leisure activity of the period. The kite itself bears the character for the Mitsui family name, serving as a subtle advertisement within the scene. Hokusai employs a limited palette, relying on the characteristic Prussian blue that became available to Japanese printmakers during this era. The contrast between the dark, angular architecture and the soft, atmospheric horizon demonstrates the artist's command of perspective and spatial depth. Unlike many of his contemporaries who focused on actors or courtesans, Hokusai turned his attention to the daily life of the merchant class and the changing urban environment of Edo. The print captures a moment of domestic industry, where the mundane tasks of roof repair coexist with the presence of Japan's most sacred mountain. The clean lines and balanced composition reflect the technical precision of the woodblock medium, where every stroke is carved into cherry wood blocks before being inked and pressed onto paper. This work remains a clear example of the Ukiyo-e tradition, documenting the intersection of commerce, urban life, and the natural world during the late Edo period.