Katsushika Hokusai’s birth name was Tokitarō.
Hokusai was born in Edo, now Tokyo, in 1760. His family name is generally given as Kawamura, although historical records about his early identity are complicated. He later used many artist names, including Shunrō, Sōri, Taito, and Manji. “Hokusai” became the name by which he was internationally known.
The artist’s changing names reflect a Japanese publishing tradition in which artists adopted new names at different stages of their careers. Hokusai’s name changes can therefore help date his work, but they can also confuse modern readers. His late name, Manji, appeared on works produced after he had already achieved fame as Hokusai.
Hokusai became celebrated for prints such as The Great Wave off Kanagawa and for illustrated books including Hokusai Manga. Tokitarō refers to his early personal identity, not to a separate ukiyo-e artist.