How Much Is Rainstorm Beneath the Summit (Thunderstorm Beneath the Summit / Sanka Hakuu) Worth?
Last updated: May 1, 2026
Quick Facts
- Last Sale
- $914K (2025, Sotheby's Hong Kong — Masterpieces of Asian Art from the Okada Museum of Art)
- Methodology
- comparable analysis
For a single-sheet original impression of Hokusai’s Sanka hakuu (Rainstorm/Thunderstorm Beneath the Summit) the market range is approximately USD $25,000–$913,500. The low end reflects trimmed, restored or later reprints; the high end reflects a museum‑quality, early impression sold in a marquee sale — exact value depends on impression/state, pigments, margins, condition and provenance.
Rainstorm Beneath the Summit (Thunderstorm Beneath the Summit / Sanka Hakuu)
Hokusai • Nishiki-e woodblock print
Read full analysis of Rainstorm Beneath the Summit (Thunderstorm Beneath the Summit / Sanka Hakuu) →Valuation Analysis
Final valuation range: USD $25,000–$913,500. This range is derived directly from recent, directly comparable auction results and the observable segmentation of the Hokusai market: low‑end lots (trimmed, restored, later impressions) trade in the tens of thousands, while exceptional first‑state, full‑margin impressions with premium provenance have achieved high‑six‑figure results at major houses [1][2].
Comparables: A museum‑quality Sanka haku‑u from the Okada Museum sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong for HK$7,112,000 (≈ USD $913,500) — a clear high‑end benchmark for an exceptional impression sold in a marquee dispersal [1]. Christie’s New York offered a strong single‑sheet example in 2022 that realised USD $190,000 in a major Asian Art sale, a representative mid‑to‑upper market comparable for very good impressions offered in New York [2]. By contrast, a trimmed/centrefold/restored impression sold at Lempertz (Cologne) in 2020 for €22,500 (≈ USD $25k) and illustrates the practical floor for compromised sheets [3].
Why the spread: the principal value drivers are (1) impression/state (first impressions with crisp carving and strong Prussian blue/bokashi command outsized premiums), (2) condition (full margins, absence of trimming/repairs, original paper), (3) provenance (museum or notable private pedigrees lift results markedly), and (4) sale venue and timing (marquee dispersals and Hong Kong/NYC sales frequently set the highest comparables). Small differences in any of these can change the expected auction result by an order of magnitude.
Practical guidance: if you are valuing a specific sheet, submit high‑resolution images (full sheet front/back, chops/seals, margins, closeups of the sky and mountain, and any repairs), exact sheet dimensions, and any provenance or conservation records. With those I can identify state (early vs later printing), confirm pigment/bokashi quality, and place the impression precisely within the range above — typically a market estimate will narrow to a 2–3× band (e.g., $30k–$100k for a good early impression; $150k–$500k+ for exceptional, museum‑grade examples) depending on the evidence.
Conclusion: the USD $25k–$913.5k band reflects observed, public sale outcomes and current market segmentation — use the low figure as a floor for compromised later impressions, and the high figure as an achieved ceiling for an extraordinary, well‑provenanced first‑state impression sold in a marquee sale [1][2][3].
Key Valuation Factors
Art Historical Significance
High ImpactSanka hakuu is part of Hokusai's Thirty‑six Views of Mount Fuji, one of the most important print series of the Edo period. While not as globally iconic as Under the Wave off Kanagawa, it is firmly within the canon and is collected by major museums. Institutional interest ensures steady demand among curators and advanced collectors. As a canonical series sheet, it carries intrinsic curatorial value that supports higher market bids when the impression is early, richly inked and complete with original margins.
Impression / State & Printing Quality
High ImpactThe single most decisive technical factor is whether the sheet is a first‑state early 1830s impression (with crisp carving and strong Prussian blue/bokashi) versus a later reprint or 20th‑century restrike. Early impressions reveal sharper detail, superior bokashi graduations and original pigments — these attract collectors and institutions and can elevate value by multiples. Identifying block wear, edition chops and publisher/censor marks is essential to place the impression accurately.
Condition & Conservation History
High ImpactCondition drives price sensitivity: full margins, no trimming, intact centrefold, absence of repairs/worming and minimal discolouration materially increase value. Conversely, trimming, flattened or replaced margins, visible repairs, paper loss, staining, heavy backing or overcleaning reduce market value substantially. Auction notices and lot descriptions (e.g., Lempertz lot) show trimmed/restored examples trade at a small fraction of pristine examples.
Provenance & Exhibition History
High ImpactProvenance to a notable private collection or museum (and documented exhibition history) raises buyer confidence and often commands premium bidding. The Okada Museum provenance in the Sotheby’s sale is a demonstrable example of how single‑collection dispersals with museum‑grade provenance attract competitive, top‑tier bidding. Collector seals, prior auction records and catalogue citations add liquidity and upward pressure on price.
Market Demand & Sale Venue
Medium ImpactVenue and timing influence realized price: major houses (Sotheby’s, Christie’s) and high‑profile Asian art sessions in Hong Kong or New York attract the deepest collector pools and set benchmarks. Market appetite for Hokusai remains strong at the top end, but the category is segmented — mid/entry level impressions sell steadily but rarely reach headline sums unless paired with exceptional technical/ provenance features.
Sale History
Sotheby's Hong Kong — Masterpieces of Asian Art from the Okada Museum of Art
Christie's New York — Asian Art (Lot 135)
Lempertz, Cologne — Asian Art (Lot 212)
Hokusai's Market
Katsushika Hokusai is among the best‑known ukiyo‑e masters and commands strong demand across institutional and private markets. Top impressions of his most iconic subjects (e.g., The Great Wave, Red Fuji views) have reached multi‑hundred‑thousand to multi‑million dollars in marquee auctions; complete sets and museum‑quality sheets attract the most competitive bidding. The market is deeply impression‑sensitive: first‑state, full‑margin sheets with original Prussian blue and solid provenance are priced at a premium, while later reprints and compromised sheets trade at much lower levels.
Comparable Sales
Sudden Rain beneath the Summit (Sanka haku‑u)
Katsushika Hokusai
Direct same artwork; museum‑quality impression from the Okada Museum sold at a marquee Hong Kong sale — a high‑end, directly comparable benchmark for exceptional Sanka haku‑u impressions.
$914K
2025, Sotheby's Hong Kong — "Masterpieces of Asian Art from the Okada Museum of Art"
Sanka hakuu (Storm / Shower below the summit)
Katsushika Hokusai
Direct same artwork sold at a major New York house — a mid‑to‑high market comparable showing typical institutional/collector pricing for a strong impression at auction.
$190K
2022, Christie's New York — Asian Art sale (Lot 135)
~$224K adjusted
Sanka haku‑u
Katsushika Hokusai
Direct same artwork but noted centrefold, trimmed margins and small restoration — a low‑end comparable that illustrates the floor for worn/trimmed or restored impressions.
$25K
2020, Lempertz, Cologne — Asian Art sale (Lot 212)
~$32K adjusted
Under the Wave off Kanagawa (The Great Wave)
Katsushika Hokusai
Same artist and series (Thirty‑six Views) but different subject; not a direct single‑sheet comparable, yet it sets the top‑end ceiling for premium Hokusai impressions and shows demand in the very highest tier.
$2.8M
2025, Sotheby's Hong Kong — Okada Museum dispersal (headline lot)
Complete Thirty‑six Views of Mount Fuji (complete set)
Katsushika Hokusai
Same series in a rare complete set sold at auction — offers context for institutional collector appetite and premium for rarities (not directly comparable to a single sheet but useful for market ceiling/reference).
$3.6M
2024, Christie's New York — Complete Thirty‑six Views (Singh collection)
~$3.8M adjusted
Current Market Trends
Recent years have shown strong top‑end performance for Hokusai, with marquee dispersals (notably the Okada Museum sale) resetting benchmarks and creating episodic spikes. The market remains segmented: headline results lift attention but do not uniformly inflate mid/entry levels. Hong Kong and New York remain primary venues for record prices, and institutional interest continues to underpin demand for museum‑quality impressions.