The Great Wave off Kanagawa - by Hokusai Katsushika, 1760-1849 is the first in his series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. It immortalizes the tie between fishermen and the sea. Like his fishermen who went to sea for thousands of years, the native people of the Puget Sound lived off the bounty of the sea; every year celebrating the return of the Great Wild Salmon.

The design of Hokusai’s fishing boats is hauntingly similar to Coast Salish boats. We honor the long history of the Great Wild Salmon to the life and culture of our region and nestle Mount Rainier in our Great Wave.

The Great Wave off Kanagawa is not only the most acclaimed of Hokusai Katsushika’s work but is easily one of the most extraordinary and recognizable images in the world. This international masterpiece is widely credited with influencing both artists and art movements of the East and West. Our version is from the Library of Congress collection and is copyright free.