Nami no Ihachi: Did a Rural Wood Carver Inspire Hokusai’s “Great Wave”?

The Great Wave by Katsushika Hokusai. (Courtesy the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York)

The sea at Ihachi’s birthplace, Kamogawa, Chiba Prefecture. Now, a popular surfing spot. (© Nippon.com)

Ihachi is buried at the site of his former residence, which was a family workshop for five generations, into the mid-twentieth century. (© Nippon.com)

In his late twenties, Ihachi carved Tama tori ryū (Dragon Catching a Jewel), which adorns the main hall of Konjōin in Kamogawa. The temple is a stone’s throw from the family home and also boasts works by Ihachi’s descendants. (© Nippon.com)

The fierce pair of dragons in Wave with Flying Dragons. Ihachi’s depiction of the underside of the waves was pioneering. (Courtesy Ihachikai; © Odajima Nobuyuki)

A mythical tengu and the twelfth-century warrior Minamoto no Yoshitsune appear between the two flying dragons in Tengu to Ushiwakamaru (Tengu and Ushiwakamaru). The background is incredibly detailed, and the wood grain is stunning. Ihachi’s carvings of human figures were unmatched. (Courtesy Ihachikai; © Odajima Nobuyuki)

In addition to dragons, Ihachi also carved lions and elephants. (© Nippon.com)

The temple, commonly referred to as Ōyama Fudōson has views of the nearby sea of Kamogawa. (© Nippon.com)

Jewels on the Waves (right-hand side) front and back. (Courtesy Ihachikai; © Odajima Nobuyuki)

Jewels on the Waves (left-hand side) front and back. (Courtesy Ihachikai; © Odajima Nobuyuki)

Jewels on the Waves (right-hand side, rear, detail) (Courtesy Ihachikai; © Odajima Nobuyuki); The Great Wave by Hokusai. (Courtesy the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York; comparisons added by Nippon.com).

Waves, Crane, and the Morning Sun. The wings of the crane and the morning sun appear to have been created using compasses. (Courtesy Ihachikai; © Odajima Nobuyuki)

Kataoka Sakae gives a lecture on the legacy of Ihachi. (© Nippon.com)

Top: A photo exhibition was staged at the venue by the Ihachikai “fan club.” Bottom: Shimizu Hiroshi speaks on behalf of the organizers. (© Nippon.com)