Hanging Abalone Out to Dry, illustration for Abalone (Awabi), from the series

This woodblock print illustrates the processing of awabi, or abalone, a prized seafood harvested by ama divers along Japan's coastal regions. The composition shows workers hanging strips of dried abalone on wooden racks, a labor-intensive preparation method used to produce the preserved delicacy consumed across social classes in the Edo period. Hokusai renders the seaside setting with characteristic economy — the drying racks create a strong geometric framework against the open background, and the figures are posed to convey the physical routine of the work. The print belongs to an illustrated series on foodstuffs or trades, situating everyday economic labor within a broader cultural context. The abalone's lustrous shell surface and the translucency of dried abalone flesh presented a technical challenge that Hokusai addresses through careful gradation and line work, reflecting his sustained interest in depicting material textures.