Katsushika Oei: Rediscovering a Woman Artist of the Ukiyo-e World

Born in Edo (modern-day Tokyo) in 1800, Katsushika Oei was a gifted Ukiyo-e artist whose work long remained in the shadow of her father, the legendary Katsushika Hokusai. Trained within one of Japan’s most influential art studios, Oei developed a distinctive style marked by luminous colour, fine detail, and an unconventional portrayal of women in Bijin-ga prints. This article revisits her life and legacy, shedding light on a remarkable woman artist whose contribution to Japanese art history is only now being fully recognised.

Beauty Viewing Cherry Blossoms at Night,1850

By Prachi Sah

Born in 1800 in Edo, present-day Tokyo, Katsushika Oei was the third daughter of the world-renowned Ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai and his second wife, Koto. While her given name was Katsushika Eijo, she adopted the name Katsushika Oei for her artistic pursuits, a choice inspired by the nickname her father used to call her. Another hypothesis suggests her name literally meant "loyal" or "following Iitsu," referring to one of the many professional names Hokusai used during his career. In 1824, she married one of Hokusai’s students, Minamizawa Tomei, who was also a student of Tsutsumi Toriu and is sometimes referred to as Tsutsumi Tomei. However, the marriage ended in separation after only three years, after which she returned to live with her father and worked alongside him until his death.

Woman with Morning Glories, 1820; Three woman playing instruments, 1850;

As she matured, Oei received formal training from both her father and the accomplished printmaker Tsutsumi Toriu III. The influence of Toriu’s guidance is evident in the meticulous attention to detail found in her work, which contrasts with Hokusai’s style of prioritizing expression over intricate details. In her depictions of women within the "Bijin-ga" genre of Ukiyo-e, Oei introduced unique features rarely seen in the medium, such as the use of a front-facing view rather than the more common three-quarter profile. Her style is characterized by a bright color palette and a strong sense of continuity in form. Despite her talent, she was often overshadowed by her father’s immense fame. When Hokusai fell ill following her return to the family home, Oei took charge of the studio while nursing him, and out of financial necessity, she executed many artworks under Hokusai’s name. In the collaborative world of period printmaking, it was common for head apprentices to contribute to a master’s work. Following her father's recovery and the subsequent death of her mother, she officially transitioned from the name Eijo to Oei, adhering to the tradition of changing pen names at different stages of life—a practice Hokusai himself followed more than thirty times.

 Katsushika Oei

Today, only a few surviving drawings of Oei herself are known to exist; one was created by Hokusai’s former student Tsuyuki Kosho, and Hokusai himself once doodled her face on a receipt for a collaborative project. These visual records depict her as having a large chin and not being traditionally beautiful.

Her life and legacy have since been explored in various media, including lectures like "Katsushika Oei – A woman artist in a floating world" and "Saturday University – Katsushika Oei and the Hokusai legacy." In the novel "The Printmaker’s Daughter," Katherine Govier suggests that Oei produced many of the paintings attributed to Hokusai during his "Iitsu" period. The name Iitsu translates to "One again," and the name Oei carries the connotation of being "loyal to Iitsu," though ironically, it also sounds like the casual call "Hey you!" Her name further follows the artistic tradition of incorporating a portion of the master’s name, such as the "I" from Iitsu.  Her story is also captured in Hinako Sugiura’s manga "Miss Hokusai," which was adapted into a 2015 anime directed by Keiichi Hara, as well as Makate Asai’s 2016 historical novel "Kurara," which inspired the 2017 NHK motion picture "Kurara – The Dazzling Life of Hokusai’s Daughter" starring Aoi Miyazaki.

About the Author

Prachi Sah is a first-year Master’s student in Japanese Language and Literature at the Centre for Japanese Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University. Alongside her academic work, she practices Madhubani and Manjusha painting, traditional Indian folk arts that shape her artistic perspective. This grounding has fostered a deep engagement with Japanese art history, particularly Ukiyo-e, and the often-overlooked contributions of women artists such as Katsushika Oei and Iwami Reika. Through her work, she seeks to build a cultural dialogue between Indian folk traditions and Japanese visual aesthetics.