Fine Wind, Clear Morning (Red Fuji)

All that is depicted is Mt. Fuji, the sky, clouds, and the forest at the base of the mountain. The mountain is placed large toward the right of the picture, with streaks of snow remaining at the summit. The slopes are a deep reddish brown at the top, fading lighter toward the bottom, where they join the forest at the foot dotted in small points. Bokashi, the technique of printing with gradually shifting color, creates this transition of brightness.

In the title, "gaifu" means a south wind and "kaisei" a completely clear sky. On early mornings from summer to early autumn, the slopes of Fuji lit by the morning sun can appear red. Katsushika Hokusai captured that instant with simple forms and few colors. The rows of mackerel clouds in the sky suggest the approach of autumn and heighten the mountain's stillness.

Among Edo-period literati, Fuji seen on a winter morning from around Hakone, with its snow glowing crimson, was talked about as "kogyoku fuyo" (a ruby lotus). Where the Fuji in this print is seen from has not been determined, but one theory holds that it is the northern face seen from around Lake Kawaguchi. Whereas the next print, "Thunderstorm Beneath the Summit," is called "Black Fuji," this one has long been loved as "Red Fuji."