Eight Views of Ryukyu

• Designer: Hokusai
• Date: 1832
• Japanese: 琉球八景 (Ryuukyuu hakkei)

The "Eight Views of Ryûkyû," or "Ryûkyû hakkei," are a series of single-sheet prints designed by Hokusai and released in 1832. Based on images from the 1757 Chinese text Liuqiu-guo zhilue, the series depicts eight landscape scenes of sites in Naha, the main port of the Ryûkyû Kingdom.

Each print maintains the four-character title and general composition of the images from the Chinese volume, which was republished in Japan in 1831, adding only minor alterations, and color.

The eight prints, and the sites with which they are associated, in no particular order, are:

• "Banana Garden at Chûtô" (中島蕉園, Chûtô shôen) - Nakashima, famous for its large stones, which can be seen today at the Naha Bus Terminal at Izumisaki
• "Bamboo Grove at Beison" (粂村竹籬, Beison chikuri) - Kumemura[1]
• "Sound of the Lake at Rinkai" (臨海湖声, Rinkai kosei) - Rinkai-ji and Mie gusuku[2]
• "Night Moon at Senki" (泉崎夜月, Senki yagetsu) - Izumisaki-bashi, Izumisaki neighborhood
• "Sacred Fountain at Jôgaku" (城岳霊泉, Jôgaku reisen) - Jôgaku Park
• "Pines and Waves at Dragon Cavern" (龍洞松濤, Ryûdô shôtô), was previously located on its own separate island, but is now near Onoyama Park. The Ryûdô-ji temple which used to be on the site is no more, but the grave of Shinkai still stands.
• "Sunset Glow at Jungai" (筍崖夕照, Jungai sekishô) - Naminoue Shrine[3]
• "Clear Autumn Weather at Chôkô" (長虹秋齊, Chôkô shûsei) - Chôkôtei, which ran through what is now the Miebashi area

References

• Katsushika Hokusai Ryûkyû hakkei to kyôgô suri, 葛飾北斎・琉球八景と校合摺り, Urasoe Art Museum, 2010.