Surugadai in Edo (Tōto Sundai), from the series Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji (Fugaku sanjÅ«rokkei) c. 1831

Editor: Hokusai's "Surugadai in Edo" is a woodblock print, part of his Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji. The scene is bustling with figures, yet there's a sense of calm. What symbolic meanings do you see in this work? Curator: Notice how Fuji is framed by daily life, by the roofline and the vibrant foliage. It suggests a cultural memory deeply rooted in the land. Can you sense a psychological connection to place being built? Editor: Yes, the mountain feels both present and distant, like a constant but subtle influence. Curator: Precisely. And consider the people: they are small, yet their presence defines our understanding of the landscape. Does that framing influence how you consider the narrative? Editor: I hadn't thought of that before. It emphasizes our relationship with the environment, as something both grand and intimately human. Curator: Indeed. This print becomes a powerful meditation on the interplay between the monumental and the mundane.