IELTS Reading Practice: Katsushika Hokusai (Answers & Detailed Explanations)

In IELTS Reading tests, topics related to Art & History often challenge candidates due to specialized vocabulary and complex biographical details. The reading passage about Katsushika Hokusai—the creator of the famous “The Great Wave off Kanagawa”—is a classic example.

This article from ECE Language Center provides the full reading passage, a Vietnamese translation, vocabulary analysis, and detailed answer explanations to help you conquer this passage.

Reading Passage & Questions

Katsushika Hokusai

Hokusai (born October 1760, Edo [now Tokyo], Japan – died May 10, 1848) was a Japanese master artist and printmaker of the ukiyo-e (“pictures of the floating world”) school. His early works represent the full spectrum of ukiyo-e art, including single-sheet prints of landscapes and squares, hand paintings, and surimono (“printed things”), such as greetings and announcements. Later, he concentrated on the classical themes of the samurai and Chinese subjects. His famous print series “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji,” published between 1825 and 1833, marked the summit in the history of the Japanese landscape print.

Early years

Hokusai was born in the Honjo quarter. He was adopted and named Nakajima, but he was never accepted as the true son of the Nakajima family; he had been born to a concubine.

Hokusai is said to have served in his youth as a clerk in a lending bookshop, and from 15 to 18 years of age, he was apprenticed to a wood-block engraver. This early training in the book and printing trades obviously contributed to Hokusai’s artistic development as a printmaker.

The earliest contemporary record of Hokusai dates from the year 1778, when, at the age of 18, he became a pupil of the leading ukiyo-e master, Katsukawa Shunshō. The young Hokusai’s first published works appeared the following year—actor prints of the kabuki theatre, the genre that Shunshō and the Katsukawa school practically dominated.

To judge from the ages of his several children, Hokusai must have married in his mid-20s. Possibly under the influence of family life, from this period his designs tended to turn from prints of actors and women to historical and landscape subjects, especially uki-e (semi-historical landscapes using Western-influenced perspective techniques), as well as prints of children. The artist’s book illustrations and texts turned as well from the earlier themes to historical and didactic subjects. At the same time, Hokusai’s work in the surimono genre during the subsequent decade marks one of the early peaks in his career. Surimono were prints issued privately for special occasions—New Year’s and other greetings, musical programs and announcements, private verse selections—in limited editions and featuring immaculate printing of the highest quality.

Middle years

In his middle years, Hokusai experienced significant artistic evolution and personal hardship. He began to distance himself from the Katsukawa school, partly due to the death of his master Shunshō in 1792 and partly due to his own burgeoning interest in other Japanese and Chinese artistic traditions. He started using the name “Hokusai” around 1797, and his work from this period shows a broader range of influences.

A series of personal tragedies, including the death of his wife and his own financial struggles, seemed to fuel rather than hinder his artistic output. He moved residences frequently—some accounts say over ninety times in his life—often to avoid creditors. Despite this instability, the period from 1800 to 1820 was one of prodigious production. He created several major illustrated books, including the first volumes of his instructional manga (random drawings), which were sketchbooks of countless subjects—animals, people, mythological figures—intended as model books for other artists. These manga volumes became widely popular and demonstrated his incredible draftsmanship and observational skill.

Later years and legacy

Hokusai’s most celebrated work was created in his seventies. It was during this period that he produced the iconic “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji,” which includes the world-renowned print “The Great Wave off Kanagawa.” This series was revolutionary for its bold composition, innovative use of the newly affordable Prussian blue pigment, and its focus on the daily lives of common people within dramatic landscapes. The series was so popular that ten additional prints were added to the original thirty-six.

In his later writings, Hokusai expressed a profound belief in his own artistic growth with age. He famously wrote that by the age of 110, every dot and line he drew would be alive. Though he never reached that age, he continued working relentlessly until his death at 88. Hokusai’s influence extended far beyond Japan; after the country opened up in the Meiji period, his prints reached Europe and profoundly impacted the Impressionist and Art Nouveau movements. Artists like Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh collected his prints and were inspired by his compositions and use of color.

Questions 1 – 6

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 1?

In boxes 1 – 6 on your answer sheet, write:

TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

1. Hokusai’s series “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji” was published over an eight-year period.

2. Hokusai was the biological son of the Nakajima family.

3. Hokusai’s apprenticeship with a wood-block engraver lasted for four years.

4. Hokusai’s first published works were landscapes.

5. Hokusai’s work in the surimono genre is considered one of the early high points of his career.

6. The death of his master Shunshō was the only reason Hokusai distanced himself from the Katsukawa school.

Questions 7 – 13

Complete the notes below.

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.

Write your answers in boxes 7–13 on your answer sheet.

Hokusai’s Life and Work

• Early Training:

  • Worked as a clerk in a 7 …………………..

  • Apprenticed to a 8 ………………….. from age 15 to 18.

• Artistic Shifts:

  • After marriage, his subjects changed to historical scenes and 9 ………………….., which used Western perspective.

  • His surimono were known for their high-quality 10 …………………..

• Middle Years:

  • Began using the name ‘Hokusai’ around 11 …………………..

  • Published 12 ………………….. which were sketchbooks for artists.

• Later Work:

  • His famous series “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji” used a new blue pigment called 13 …………………..

  • His work greatly influenced European art movements, including Impressionism.

II. Katsushika Hokusai Reading Passage Translation

Introduction: Hokusai (born October 1760, Edo [now Tokyo], Japan – died May 10, 1848). He was a Japanese master artist and printmaker of the ukiyo-e (“pictures of the floating world”) school. His early works represent the full spectrum of ukiyo-e art, including single-sheet prints of landscapes and squares, hand paintings, and surimono (“printed things”) such as greetings and announcements. Later, he concentrated on the classical themes of the samurai and Chinese subjects. His famous print series “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji,” published between 1825 and 1833, marked the summit in the history of the Japanese landscape print.

Early years: Hokusai was born in the Honjo quarter… He was adopted and named Nakajima, but he was never accepted as the true son of the Nakajima family; in reality, he was born to a concubine.

It is said that in his youth, Hokusai worked as a clerk in a lending bookshop, and from 15 to 18 years of age, he apprenticed with a wood-block engraver. This early training in the book and printing trades obviously contributed to Hokusai’s artistic development as a printmaker.

The earliest contemporary record of Hokusai dates from 1778, when he was 18 and became a pupil of the leading ukiyo-e master, Katsukawa Shunshō. The young Hokusai’s first published works appeared the following year—actor prints of the Kabuki theatre, the genre that Shunshō and the Katsukawa school practically dominated.

Judging by the ages of his children, Hokusai must have married in his mid-20s. Possibly under the influence of family life, from this period his designs tended to shift from prints of actors and women to historical and landscape subjects, especially uki-e (semi-historical landscapes using Western-influenced perspective techniques), as well as prints of children. The artist’s book illustrations and texts also shifted from earlier themes to historical and didactic subjects. At the same time, Hokusai’s work in the surimono genre during the subsequent decade marked one of the early peaks in his career. Surimono were prints issued privately for special occasions—New Year’s and other greetings, musical programs and announcements, private verse selections—in limited editions and featuring the highest quality of immaculate printing.

Middle years: In his middle years, Hokusai experienced significant artistic evolution and personal hardship. He began to distance himself from the Katsukawa school, partly due to the death of his master Shunshō in 1792 and partly due to his own burgeoning interest in other Japanese and Chinese artistic traditions. He started using the name “Hokusai” around 1797, and his work from this period shows a broader range of influences.

A series of personal tragedies, including the death of his wife and his own financial struggles, seemed to fuel rather than hinder his artistic output. He moved residences frequently—some accounts say over ninety times in his life—often to avoid creditors. Despite this instability, the period from 1800 to 1820 was one of prodigious production. He created several major illustrated books, including the first volumes of his instructional manga (random drawings), which were sketchbooks of countless subjects—animals, people, mythological figures—intended as model books for other artists. These manga volumes became widely popular and demonstrated his incredible draftsmanship and observational skill.

Later years and legacy: Hokusai’s most celebrated work was created in his seventies. It was during this period that he produced the iconic “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji,” which includes the world-renowned print “The Great Wave off Kanagawa.” This series was revolutionary for its bold composition, innovative use of the newly affordable Prussian blue pigment, and its focus on the daily lives of common people within dramatic landscapes. The series was so popular that ten additional prints were added to the original thirty-six.

In his later writings, Hokusai expressed a profound belief in his own artistic growth with age. He famously wrote that by the age of 110, every dot and line he drew would be alive. Though he never reached that age, he continued working relentlessly until his death at 88. Hokusai’s influence extended far beyond Japan; after the country opened up in the Meiji period, his prints reached Europe and profoundly impacted the Impressionist and Art Nouveau movements. Artists like Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh collected his prints and were inspired by his compositions and use of color.

Key Vocabulary Summary

Vocabulary	Part of Speech	Meaning	Context in Passage
Apprentice	(v/n)	To learn a trade / A trainee	…he was apprenticed to a wood-block engraver.
Didactic	(adj)	Intended to teach or instruct	…turned… to historical and didactic subjects.
Burgeoning	(adj)	Beginning to grow or increase rapidly	…due to his own burgeoning interest in other… traditions.
Prodigious	(adj)	Remarkably or impressively great in extent/amount	…was one of prodigious production.
Draftsmanship	(n)	The quality of drawing or sketching	…demonstrated his incredible draftsmanship…
Pigment	(n)	A substance used for coloring	…use of the newly affordable Prussian blue pigment.
Relentlessly	(adv)	In an unceasing or intense way	…he continued working relentlessly until his death.

Answers and Detailed Explanations

Questions 1 – 6 (True/False/Not Given)

1. TRUE

• Explanation: Paragraph 1 states: “published between 1825 and 1833”.

  • Calculation: 1833 – 1825 = 8 years.

• Conclusion: The information matches.

2. FALSE

• Explanation: The “Early years” section states: “he never accepted though the true son of Nakajima, he had been born of a concubine.” This implies he was not considered the legitimate/biological heir of that family.

• Conclusion: Contradicts the passage.

3. TRUE

• Explanation: The “Early years” section states: “from 15 to 18 years of age he was apprenticed…”.

  • The period from 15 to 18 covers four years (15, 16, 17, 18).

• Conclusion: Correct.

4. FALSE

• Explanation: The “Early years” section states: “The young Hokusai’s first published works appeared… actor prints of the kabuki theatre”. He only shifted to landscapes later (in his mid-20s).

• Conclusion: Incorrect.

5. TRUE

• Explanation: The end of the “Early years” section states: “marks one of the early peaks in his career.” (Peak = High point).

• Conclusion: Correct.

6. FALSE

• Explanation: The “Middle years” section states: “partly due to the death of his master… and partly due to his own burgeoning interest…”. There were two reasons, not just one.

• Conclusion: Incorrect.

Questions 7 – 13

7. bookshop

• Location: “Early years” section.

• Evidence: “…served in his youth as clerk in a lending bookshop…”

8. wood-block engraver

• Location: “Early years” section.

• Evidence: “…he was apprenticed to a wood-block engraver.”

9. landscapes

• Location: “Early years” section (after marriage).

• Evidence: “…designs tended to turn… to historical and landscape subjects, especially uki-e…”

10. printing

• Location: “Early years” section (end).

• Evidence: “…featuring immaculate printing of the highest quality.”

11. 1797

• Location: “Middle years” section.

• Evidence: “He started using the name ‘Hokusai’ around 1797…”

12. manga

• Location: “Middle years” section.

• Evidence: “…including the first volumes of his instructional manga… which were sketchbooks…”

13. Prussian blue

• Location: “Later years and legacy” section.

• Evidence: “…innovative use of the newly affordable Prussian blue pigment…”

The reading passage about Katsushika Hokusai is a fantastic opportunity to expand your vocabulary regarding art and biography—a topic that is not overly common but can be quite challenging in IELTS Reading. ECE Language Center hopes this detailed explanation is helpful for your preparation. Don’t forget to follow ECE for more high-quality IELTS Reading practice materials!