The Great Wave off Kanagawa recreated with 50,000 LEGO pieces

Does getting paid to build with legos full time sound like a dream? Japanese artist Jumpei Mitsui is one of 21 people in the world who can do this, and he recently recreated a three-dimensional version of Katsushika Hokusai’s “The Great Wave off Kanagawa” entirely in LEGO form. the Hanyu Brick Museum in Osaka, Japan took over 400 hours. It was built with over 50,000 different LEGO blocks and details the waves, boats and Mt. Fuji, covering a little over five feet.

Tomitake 36 Scenic Kanagawa Okinami Ura is three-dimensional with Lego.

I had an image in mind for the theme I wanted to create for many years, but this time I was finally able to make it. Since it is three-dimensional, it is a work that can be appreciated from different angles.

As of today, it is on permanent display at the HANKYU BRICK MUSEUM, Hankyu Third Avenue in Osaka! pic.twitter.com/fHEXvxfYDT

– Junpei Mitsui / Jumpei Mitsui (@Jumpei_Mitsui) December 11, 2020

Mitsui described on his Twitter the process of recreating the art in sculpture form, noting that he made a sketch, mainly to determine the balance on being a “plane.” He said he also read several articles and watched hours of YouTube videos on the air to make sure he was getting the correct shapes and forms.

The piece is of course inspired by the original Japanese artwork, created in the 1820s and often considered one of the most recognizable works of Japanese art.

While gift holidays have come and gone, if you’re still looking to grab a LEGO set or two, be sure to check out our LEGO vacation 2020 guide. You can also consult IGN’s experience build the LEGO Roman Colosseum, the largest LEGO set ever (which you can buy). And if you’re looking for what to expect in the world of LEGO games, check out our latest coverage of LEGO Star Wars 2021: The Skywalker Saga.