Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849), a "painting madman" who debuted as a ukiyo-e artist at age 20 and dedicated 70 years to his craft until his death at 90, striving to capture all of nature's phenomena. To commemorate his 260th birthday, a rare special exhibition will be held at Tokyo Midtown Hall from Thursday, July 22 to Friday, September 17, 2021, bringing together all pages, works, and illustrations from his masterpieces: "The Great Picture Book of Everything," "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji," and "One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji."

Katsushika Hokusai, a leading ukiyo-e artist of the Edo period, was so passionate about painting that he called himself a "painting madman" and dedicated his 90 years of life solely to his art. To celebrate his 260th birthday, the "Commemorative Exhibition for the 260th Anniversary of His Birth: Hokusai-zukushi" will be held at Tokyo Midtown Hall.

Originally planned for 2020, the exhibition was postponed due to the spread of COVID-19. Now, under the new title "Hokusai-zukushi," it presents a Hokusai world filled with his vast body of work.

This exhibition, with the full cooperation of Mitsuru Uragami, the world's foremost collector of Hokusai manga, challenges unprecedented scope by displaying all 883 pages of "The Great Picture Book of Everything" (15 volumes), all 46 works of "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji," and all 102 illustrations of "One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji" (3 volumes) throughout the exhibition period. "The Great Picture Book of Everything," which depicts everything from the lives of common people to plants, animals, landscapes, architecture, historical tales, and even yokai, will feature approximately 500 volumes displayed simultaneously, creating a space in the exhibition hall that can be described as a "forest of Hokusai manga."

Furthermore, "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji" will showcase all 46 pieces throughout the exhibition period, including the Chikuchin Collection and the Uragami Collection owned by the Yamaguchi Prefectural Museum of Art. This exhibition presents all pages, works, and illustrations of these three representative works of Hokusai's artistic career.

The exhibition design is by architect Tsuyoshi Tane, who also worked on the "Hokusai Exhibition" at the Grand Palais in Paris. Based on the exhibition's theme of "Zukushi" (completion/collection), the design features spaces with distinct concepts for each artwork, maximizing their appeal and creating an immersive experience. The key visual for the exhibition and the venue graphics expressing Hokusai's worldview are by Shin Sobue, known for his book designs, including "The Great Picture Book of Everything" (3 volumes, Seigensha), and art direction and graphic design for numerous exhibitions. The exhibition commentary is edited by Mari Hashimoto, a writer and editor specializing in Japanese art and Deputy Director of the Eisei Bunko Museum.

Regarding the exhibition, Mari Hashimoto commented, "'Zukushi,' which treats all of nature's phenomena with equal importance and collects everything available, is a method based on a worldview entirely different from modern classification and order. We hope visitors will experience the chaos and excitement within a venue filled with Hokusai's works and cultural genetic memes – a truly 'zukushi' space."