Kenji Takenaka Collaborates on U.S. Feature Documentary Journey to Hokusai
In 2019, Kenji Takenaka contributed to the feature documentary Journey to Hokusai, which closely follows the creative process of Tom Killion—an artist known for depicting the majestic landscapes of Northern California through woodblock prints—by providing research support, technical instruction in traditional Japanese mokuhanga, and appearing in the film.
Fifth-generation master printer Kenji Takenaka, who taught and appeared in the film, spent a month working closely with Killion in our Kyoto studio, guiding him through the fundamentals of Japanese mokuhanga, especially hand-printing techniques and the culture of craftsmanship surrounding the tradition.
The film’s producer and director, Chikara Motomura, is a Japan-born filmmaker who has spent decades working on numerous acclaimed films and television projects in the United States. Journey to Hokusai is Motomura’s first feature documentary, following Killion as he visits landscapes depicted by the ukiyo-e master Hokusai and draws inspiration from Japanese aesthetics while creating new works.
The film has been selected for the Mill Valley Film Festival and screened at numerous film festivals across the United States and internationally, earning wide acclaim.
We invite you to visit the film’s website to learn more:
Film Website — Journey to Hokusai
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Artist: Tom Killion
Born in Mill Valley, California, Killion established a unique print studio combining traditional Japanese woodblock techniques with European hand-press methods. He has created numerous woodblock prints and hand-crafted illustrated books, many reflecting strong influences from Japanese ukiyo-e.
In 1995, he produced the woodblock illustrations for The High Sierra of California, a large-format book created in collaboration with Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Gary Snyder. The book received multiple distinguished awards. Killion is also an accomplished historian of Africa with a doctoral degree and has taught at various universities.
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Director: Chikara Motomura
Born in Japan, Motomura has spent nearly 35 years working in New York, Hawaii, and the U.S. West Coast as a freelance director, cinematographer, and program director for NHK and other Japanese television networks. He also played key production roles in 14 films by Rob Nilsson, the Sundance and Cannes award-winning director based in Berkeley.
Journey to Hokusai (2019) marks Motomura’s debut feature-length documentary as a director.
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