Fuji from Nagao Tōge from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji

Japanese Color Woodblock Print

Fuji from Nagao Tōge

#5 from the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji

by Tokuriki Tomikichirō, 1939-1940

The Summit of Mt. Fuji (Okumiya Shrine) from the series Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji

IHL Cat. #416

About This Print

This 5th print in the 36 print series depicts the view from Nagao Pass above the city of Gotemba.  This print is the original issue (first edition) published by Uchida Woodblock Printing Company between 1939 and 1940 as part of the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji.

The Series - Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji

Published by Uchida Bijutsu Shoten between 1939 and 1940, this 36-print set (plus an introductory sheet and a table of contents sheet) by Tokuriki Tomikichirō (1902-2000) is a more modern take on Hokusai's (1760–1849) famous series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji (1826-1833). 

Tokuriki's series was extremely popular with domestic and foreign buyers who purchased one thousand copies within a short time after issuance.1  Various prints from this series were re-printed in subsequent years and subsets of the thirty-six prints were repackaged into newly named series, such as Eight Views of Mount Fuji and Four Season of Mount Fuji, released in the 1950s.  Later printings omit the information in the margin, modify Tokuriki's signature and change the seals below his signature appearing in the image area of the print.

1 Modern JapaneseWoodblock Prints - The Early Years, Helen Merritt, University of Hawaii Press, 1998, p. 89.

Format of Margin Annotations and Image Signatures and Seals of Original Edition

Source: Modern Japanese Prints: 1912-1989, Lawrence Smith, British Museum Press, 1994, p. 50.

top right
series title
富士三十六景ノ内
Fuji sanjūrokukei no uchi

below series title
title of print
長尾峠の富士
below print title
Tomikichiro Saku
(Made by Tomikichiro)
followed by round Kiwame censor's seal1
bottom right
 Uchida Bijutsu Shoshi (Uchida Fine Art Shop) followed in seal form by Fukyo Fukusei (Reproduction forbidden)
printed within image
 Tomikichiro Saku
(Made by Tomikichiro) followed by, in seal form, Sanjurokkei (Thirty-six Views) followed by, in seal form, Hanmoto Uchida (Publisher Uchida)

1 The kiwame (examined) censor's seal is an enlarged reproduction of the one used by government-appointed censors from 1790 onwards.


Nagao Pass

Source: Website of the city of Gotemba http://www.city.gotemba.shizuoka.jp/ehp/sightseeing/12.html
Located on the border of Shizuoka and Kanagawa prefectures, you can enjoy the breathtaking views of the Mt. Fuji and Mt. Ashitaka ridge and the entire city of Gotemba below. On a clear day, you can also see the far-away Suruga Bay. In fall, all the mountains are spectacularly ablaze with a golden carpet of pampas grass.

Print Details

 IHL Catalog #416
 Title Mount Fuji from Nagao Tōge
 長尾峠の富士
 Series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji
 富士三十六景ノ内 Fuji sanjūrokukei no uchi
 Artist
 Tokuriki Tomikichirō (1902-2000)
 Signature
 Tomikichirō saku
 Seal no artist's seal (see above for information on various seals in margin and image)
 Date 1939-1940
 Edition original (first) edition
 Publisher  Uchida Bijutsu Shoten - Hanmoto Uchida (on print); Uchida Bijutsu Shoritsu han and Reproduction not permitted on margin
 Impression excellent
 Colors excellent
 Condition good - mat line and slight toning within mat line; paper imperfection top margin; two spots top corners verso from previous folio mounting
 Genre shin hanga (new print)
 Miscellaneous print #5 in the series
 Format horizontal oban
 H x W Paper 11 1/4 x 16 1/2 in. (28.6 x 41.9 cm)
 H x W Image
 10 3/8 x 15 in. (26.4 x 38.1 cm)
 Collections This Print 
 Reference Literature