Hokusai in Rome: The Largest Exhibition Ever Held in Italy Celebrates the Master of Japanese Art

From March 27 to June 29, Palazzo Bonaparte in Rome becomes the stage for an extraordinary cultural event: the largest exhibition ever held in Italy dedicated to Katsushika Hokusai, one of the most influential artists in the history of Japanese art and a true icon of global visual culture.

The exhibition is also one of the major cultural events celebrating the 160th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Italy and Japan.

For art lovers, Japan enthusiasts, and curious travelers visiting Rome, this exhibition offers a rare opportunity to step inside the creative world of the legendary master behind The Great Wave off Kanagawa.

For the first time in Italy, visitors can admire more than 200 works by Hokusai, thanks to an exceptional loan from the National Museum in Krakow. This makes the Roman exhibition particularly historic, as it is the first international monographic exhibition dedicated to Hokusai ever presented outside Poland by the Krakow museum.

For many visitors, this may be one of the rarest opportunities to experience such a large and comprehensive collection of Hokusai’s masterpieces gathered together in Europe.

Who Was Katsushika Hokusai?

Katsushika Hokusai was the undisputed master of the Edo period, the era in which ukiyo-e—the famous Japanese woodblock print tradition—reached its highest artistic expression.

Through his works, Hokusai portrayed what was known as the “Floating World”, capturing scenes of everyday life, landscapes, nature, spirituality, and the changing beauty of Japan with extraordinary sensitivity and imagination. His art remains incredibly modern even today.

Both a brilliant painter and an exceptional printmaker, Hokusai deeply influenced the Western artistic imagination, helping to shape a visual language that became universally recognizable far beyond Japan.

His influence extended not only into painting and illustration, but also into music, design, fashion, and contemporary visual culture.

A Journey Through Hokusai’s Creative Universe

The exhibition is designed as an immersive journey through the artist’s extraordinary career and creative evolution.

Visitors can admire works connected to Japanese tradition, including:

  • The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō
  • The iconic Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji
  • The world-famous Great Wave off Kanagawa

These masterpieces reveal Hokusai’s unique ability to combine movement, nature, emotion, and everyday life into images that remain instantly recognizable across the world. But the exhibition also explores the artist’s more experimental and revolutionary side.

Among the highlights are the celebrated Hokusai Manga, illustrated albums filled with sketches, decorative motifs, observations of daily life, animals, landscapes, and imaginative figures that would later inspire generations of artists, illustrators, and designers.

Far from modern comic books, these “Manga” collections demonstrate Hokusai’s limitless creativity and his fascination with movement and storytelling.

More Than Paintings: A Complete Immersion Into Japanese Culture

The exhibition goes far beyond prints and paintings. The experience is enriched with a remarkable selection of rare and precious Japanese objects that help visitors better understand the world in which Hokusai lived and worked.

Among the objects on display are:

  • Rare books
  • Refined lacquerware
  • Cloisonné enamels
  • Traditional travel accessories
  • Samurai armor and helmets
  • Japanese swords
  • Classical musical instruments

Alongside these objects, visitors can also admire traditional Japanese clothing, including:

  • Elegant kimono
  • Traditional haori jackets
  • Decorative obi belts

Together, these pieces transform the exhibition into a truly immersive experience where art, daily life, craftsmanship, and spirituality intertwine.

Rather than simply displaying artworks on walls, the exhibition recreates an atmosphere that allows visitors to step inside the cultural universe that inspired Hokusai himself.

A Prestigious Cultural Collaboration

The exhibition has been promoted by the President of the Culture Commission of the Italian Chamber of Deputies and takes place under the patronage of:

  • The Italian Ministry of Culture
  • The Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Rome
  • The Embassy of Japan in Italy
  • The Lazio Region
  • The City of Rome – Department of Culture

Curated by Beata Romanowicz, the exhibition was realized in collaboration with the National Museum in Krakow and produced and organized by Arthemisia.

The main partner of the exhibition is the Fondazione Terzo Pilastro – Internazionale, together with Fondazione Cultura e Arte and Poema.

Why You Shouldn’t Miss This Exhibition

Hokusai’s art has travelled across centuries, cultures, and continents, becoming part of the world’s visual imagination.

Even those unfamiliar with Japanese art can instantly recognize The Great Wave, his delicate landscapes, and the unmistakable style that inspired generations of artists around the world.

Seeing these works in person offers a completely different experience from viewing them in books or online. The precision of the lines, the harmony of the compositions, the refined details, and the emotional strength of each image reveal why Hokusai remains one of the most admired artists in history.

For anyone visiting Rome this spring or summer, the exhibition at Palazzo Bonaparte is a rare opportunity to discover one of the greatest masters of Japanese art in an exceptional international setting.

More than a simple exhibition, it is a journey into the imagination of an artist whose vision forever changed the way the world sees Japan.

Information

📅 March 27, 2026 – June 29, 2026

📍 Palazzo Bonaparte Piazza Venezia 5, Rome

📞 Contacts:

🌐 palazzobonaparte.it
🌐 mostrepalazzobonaparte.it
☎️ +39 06 8715111
✉️ [email protected]
🎟️ ticket.it

🕘 Opening Hours:

Monday to Thursday: 9:00 AM – 7:30 PM
Friday, Saturday and Sunday: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Please note that the ticket office and entrance close one hour before closing time.

✨ Special Openings:

Sunday, April 5: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Monday, April 6: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Saturday, April 25: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Friday, May 1: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Monday, June 1: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Tuesday, June 2: 1:00 PM – 9:00 PM
June 27–29: 9:00 AM – 11:00 PM