Waterfalls of Various Districts; Kirifuri-no-taki at Kurokami-yama in Shimotsuke Province

In Hokusai's "Waterfalls of Various Districts," in which he takes up the theme of renowned waterfalls from various regions, he distinguishes the diverse expressions that water possesses, including lines of water flowing downward, wave patterns spreading in deep pools, sheets of spray leaping up, and mist rising over bodies of water. The waterfall in this composition, with its impressive lines of water flowing between rocks, is "Kirifuri-no-Taki," the famous waterfall in Nikkô. The bizarre presence of the lines of water, which spread out as to cover over half of the picture, is emphasized with the clear contrast between deep indigo and white.