Ukiyo-e Map

Alison Case

This web map is inspired by the Japanese ukiyo-e works of Katsushika Hokusai. Ukiyo-e is often translated as “picture of the floating world,” referring to the pleasures of life and the transitory nature of humanity and the material world.

The color palette draws from Prussian blue, indigo, yellow, green, and reddish-brown.

Hokusai's depictions of snowcapped Mt. Fuji, flowing water, and soft trees are woven throughout the map.

Cape Town, South Africa looks like this. Mountains represented by snowcapped Mt. Fuji icons stand amidst gently textured parks. Meanhile, the urban center, with its reddish-brown paths, meets the bold blue waves.

Bergen, Norway, with its densely concentrated buildings near the water, opens up as paths ascend Mt. Fløyen.

A view of London Bridge shows the movement of water along the River Thames and the gentle stillness of the buildings with their thatched roofs.

Finally, a close look at the U.S. Capitol grounds illustrates Hokusai's emphasis on natural elements in human surroundings.

A zoomed-out view of the ukiyo-e style.

A mid-scale view centered on Santa Barbara, California.

A large-scale view of the Santa Barbara region.

Santa Barbara's Stearns Wharf.

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Credits:

Map created with Mapbox Studio

Data from openstreetmap

Artwork from The Met

Artwork from the Library of Congress

Artwork from the Art Institute Chicago

"The Colorful World of Ukiyo-e," Library of Congress