What is the name of the small boats shown in The Great Wave off Kanagawa?

The small boats shown in The Great Wave off Kanagawa are called oshiokuri-bune.

Oshiokuri-bune were fast, narrow Japanese cargo boats used to move fresh fish and other goods through Edo Bay. In Hokusai’s print, three of these craft are caught beneath the enormous curling wave. Their low, elongated shapes and rows of oars make them easy to identify as working boats rather than pleasure vessels.

The boats were associated with coastal trade from areas including the Izu and Bōsō peninsulas toward markets in Edo, present-day Tokyo. They were built for speed, since fresh fish had to reach market quickly. The men in the image are therefore often understood as professional crews carrying out a dangerous but routine voyage.

A common error is to call the craft fishing boats in a general sense or to confuse them with yakatabune, leisure boats used for sightseeing and entertainment. Tarai refers to a tub-like vessel, while wasen is a broad term for a traditional Japanese boat. Oshiokuri-bune is the specific name relevant to Hokusai’s scene.