Artwork
諸國瀧廻リ 美濃ノ国養老の滝|Yōrō Waterfall in Mino Province (Mino no Yōrō no taki), from the series A Tour of Waterfalls in Various Provinces (Shokoku taki meguri)
諸國瀧廻リ 美濃ノ国養老の滝|Yōrō Waterfall in Mino Province (Mino no Yōrō no taki), from the series A Tour of Waterfalls in Various Provinces (Shokoku taki meguri) is an ink print by the Japonisme artist Katsushika Hokusai. It dates from 1832 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
A tree frames the scene alongside the falling water, situating the waterfall as a celebrated natural landmark of the province.
The print depicts Yōrō Falls in Mino Province, presenting the cascade as the central subject within a landscape composition. A tree frames the scene alongside the falling water, situating the waterfall as a celebrated natural landmark of the province.
As part of the series A Tour of Waterfalls in Various Provinces (Shokoku taki meguri), the work belongs to the meisho-e tradition of ukiyo-e, a pictorial category devoted to famous places. By selecting Yōrō Falls, a site long associated in Japanese legend with the filial son who revived his aging parents with its waters, Hokusai elevates a culturally resonant location into the canon of celebrated scenic views, inviting viewers to travel imaginatively through the nation's renowned landscapes.
Technique & Style
Created in 1832, this work is a woodblock print executed with ink and color on paper. The piece exemplifies the ukiyo-e tradition, specifically functioning as a meisho-e (picture of a famous place) within the landscape genre. Visually, the composition focuses on the depiction of Yōrō Falls in Mino Province, incorporating natural elements such as trees alongside the cascading water.
Surviving impressions of this design are held in major institutional collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Tokyo National Museum. Extant examples measure approximately 37.1 cm in height by 26 cm in width.
History & Provenance
Katsushika Hokusai designed Yōrō Waterfall in Mino Province as part of the series A Tour of Waterfalls in Various Provinces (Shokoku taki meguri), producing the woodblock print in 1832. Executed in ink and color on paper, the landscape print measures 37.1 × 26 cm and depicts the Yōrō Falls in Mino Province framed by trees.
The work is held jointly in two major collections: the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Tokyo National Museum. The sources do not provide further details on commission, intermediate ownership, or acquisition history for either institution.
The impression is held by the Tokyo National Museum, where it is catalogued as part of its ukiyo-e holdings. The sheet measures 37.1 cm in height and 26 cm in width.
It was exhibited in 2021 within the Tokyo National Museum’s display titled “Current Conditions of Ukiyo-e: Hokusai and His Century.”
Overview
Created around 1832, this woodblock print by Katsushika Hokusai forms part of his series documenting waterfalls throughout Japan. The image presents the Yōrō Falls located in the historic Mino Province, capturing the cascade against a rugged cliff face.
Context
In the early 19th century, travel literature and visual surveys of Japan’s scenery were popular, reflecting a growing interest in regional geography. Hokusai’s series contributed to this trend, offering viewers a stylized yet accurate visual record of celebrated natural sites.
Artist & collection
Artist
Katsushika Hokusai spent his life in Edo, now Tokyo, where he drew and carved prints for a living.
諸國瀧廻リ 美濃ノ国養老の滝|Yōrō Waterfall in Mino Province (Mino no Yōrō no taki), from the series A Tour of Waterfalls in Various Provinces (Shokoku taki meguri)
諸國瀧廻リ 相州大山ろうべんの瀧|Rōben Waterfall at Ōyama in Sagami Province (Sōshū Ōyama Rōben no taki), from the series A Tour of Waterfalls in Various Provinces (Shokoku taki meguri)
諸國瀧廻リ 下野黒髪山 きりふりの滝|Kirifuri Waterfall at Kurokami Mountain in Shimotsuke (Shimotsuke Kurokamiyama Kirifuri no taki), from the series A Tour of Waterfalls in Various Provinces (Shokoku taki meguri)
諸國瀧廻リ 木曾海道小野ノ瀑布|Ono Waterfall on the Kisokaidō (Kisokaidō Ono no bakufu), from the series A Tour of Waterfalls in Various Provinces (Shokoku taki meguri)
諸國瀧廻リ 木曾海道小野ノ瀑布|Ono Waterfall on the Kisokaidō (Kisokaidō Ono no bakufu), from the series A Tour of Waterfalls in Various Provinces (Shokoku taki meguri)
諸國瀧廻リ 木曽路ノ奥 阿彌陀ヶ瀧|The Amida Falls in the Far Reaches of the Kisokaidō Road (Kisoji no oku Amida-ga-taki), from the series A Tour of Waterfalls in Various Provinces (Shokoku taki meguri)
諸國瀧廻リ 和州吉野義経馬洗滝|The Waterfall Where Yoshitsune Washed His Horse at Yoshino in Yamato Province (Washū Yoshino Yoshitsune uma arai no taki), from the series A Tour of Waterfalls in Various Provinces (Shokoku taki meguri)
諸國瀧廻リ 相州大山ろうべんの瀧|Rōben Waterfall at Ōyama in Sagami Province (Sōshū Ōyama Rōben no taki), from the series A Tour of Waterfalls in Various Provinces (Shokoku taki meguri)
諸國瀧廻 東都葵ヶ岡の瀧|The Falls at Aoigaoka in the Eastern Capital (Tōto Aoigaoka no taki), from the series A Tour of Waterfalls in Various Provinces (Shokoku taki meguri)
諸國瀧廻リ 木曽路ノ奥 阿彌陀ヶ瀧|The Amida Falls in the Far Reaches of the Kisokaidō Road (Kisoji no oku Amida-ga-taki), from the series A Tour of Waterfalls in Various Provinces (Shokoku taki meguri)
諸國瀧廻リ 東海道坂ノ下 清瀧くわんおん|Kiyotaki Kannon Waterfall at Sakanoshita on the Tōkaidō (Tōkaidō Sakanoshita Kiyotaki kannon), from the series A Tour of Waterfalls in Various Provinces (Shokoku taki meguri)