Hokusai – The Floating World

The journey begins in a historical introduction room dedicated to the social and artistic context of the Edo period. A documentary film, graphic panels and scenic installations explore the origins of ukiyo-e, everyday life in the city of Edo and the collaborative process behind polychrome woodblock printing. Backlit silhouettes of Mount Fuji, waves, clouds and Japanese architecture transform the room into an atmospheric gateway. A life-size samurai completes the setting, creating a memorable photo opportunity for visitors.

The experience continues into an intimate gallery, where reproductions of Hokusai’s most celebrated works invite close observation of his precise line, innovative use of colour and daring perspectives. Landscapes, bridges, travellers, animals and views of Mount Fuji reveal the remarkable variety of the artist’s visual world.

Inside the main immersive hall, the images move beyond the boundaries of the printed page and surround the audience. Walls and floor become a continuous narrative surface animated by the streets of Edo, kabuki performers, landscapes, natural creatures and fantastic figures created by Hokusai and other masters of the period.

A spectacular installation combining projection and mirrored surfaces is dedicated entirely to The Great Wave off Kanagawa. The composition multiplies into infinity as light, reflections and spatial sound transform the power of the ocean into a physical and emotional experience. Visitors symbolically enter the image, suspended between the movement of the wave, the fragility of the boats and the still presence of Mount Fuji.

The journey ends in the waterfall room, where works from the series A Tour of the Waterfalls of the Provinces interact with vertical video installations, reflective surfaces and atmospheric lighting. Water becomes line, rhythm and energy, creating a contemplative environment shaped by the ideas of time and transformation.

Hokusai – The Floating World brings together artistic heritage and contemporary media in an accessible, spectacular and engaging experience. A journey in which art moves beyond the frame to become space, light, sound and memory.