Katsushika Hokusai was born on the 23rd day of 9th month of the 10th year of the Horeki period (October or November 1760) to an artisan family, in the Katsushika district of Edo, Japan. His childhood name was Tokitaro. It is believed his father was the mirror-maker Nakajima Ise, who produced mirrors for the shogun. His father never made Hokusai an heir, so it's possible that his mother was a concubine. Hokusai began painting around the age of six, possibly learning the art from his father, whose work on mirrors also included the painting of designs around the mirrors.

Hokusai was known by at least 30 names during his lifetime. Although the use of multiple names was a common practice of Japanese artists of the time, ...