The Great Wave was inspired, of course, by Japan's most famous painting, Great Wave off Kanagawa by Hokusai. As with the painting's towering wave, this piece is architecturally constructed to have a large cantilevered overhang, imposing and substantial. Upon opening, you see that Hokusai's image is contained, not in the bottom tray, but the top tray. Surrounding the wave is a "moat" of sorts with a sand-like linen fabric. The opposite bottom tray features a calm and measured Katazome pattern to contrast nature's overwhelming power.