The ghost of Oiwa

"The Ghost of Oiwa" is a striking example from Katsushika Hokusai's Ukiyo-e series One Hundred Ghost Stories, produced around 1830. As part of the Yūrei-zu genre, it depicts a mythological story featuring a vengeful ghost, embodying traditional Japanese ghost stories firsthand. Created in Hokusai's seventies, this mythological painting reflects Edo-period superstitions and ghost tales told during Hyakumonogatari Kaidankai gatherings. While Hokusai is renowned for landscapes, his interest in superstitions led to these ghostly narratives, blending cultural folklore with haunting imagery.