Hongan-ji Temple at Asakusa in Edo (Tōto Asakusa Hongan-ji), from the series Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjÅ«rokkei) c. 1831

Editor: This is Hokusai’s "Hongan-ji Temple at Asakusa in Edo," part of the "Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji" series. I’m struck by how the artist uses the temple roof to frame Mount Fuji in the distance. What's your take? Curator: It's interesting how Hokusai places the temple in the foreground. This was during the Edo period when there were restrictions on travel. Representing familiar landmarks alongside Fuji offered a sense of connection to place and pilgrimage for the common person. Editor: So, it's not just about the mountain, but about daily life and cultural identity? Curator: Precisely. And consider the printmaking process itself; this was popular art, meant for wide distribution, shaping public perception of both the sacred mountain and urban life. What do you make of the kite? Editor: It suggests freedom, playfulness, a contrast to the rigid social structure. Curator: Exactly. It's a reminder that art doesn't exist in a vacuum, it's a product of its time. Editor: I’ll definitely look at ukiyo-e prints differently now.