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)

Executed in ink and color on paper, the print employs bold blue and white strokes for the falling water, contrasted with red‑brown jagged rocks. Hokusai’s use of flat areas of green and yellow for the ground and a pale sky creates a clear separation between the turbulent cascade and the tranquil figures, highlighting the dynamic interplay of line and color typical of his later ukiyo‑e work.

The image belongs to Hokusai’s extensive series documenting notable waterfalls across Japan, a project undertaken in the early 1830s. After changing hands among private collectors, the print entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s holdings, where it remains on view as part of the museum’s Japanese prints collection.

During the Edo period, travel literature and landscape prints popularized remote natural sites, often linking them to legendary episodes. By portraying the Yoshino waterfall associated with Yoshitsune, Hokusai taps into both the aesthetic appeal of dramatic scenery and the cultural resonance of historic narrative.