Modern Sangaku

Sangaku little wooden blocks were very popular in Japan during the Edo period to teach geometry. Today, Sangaku's problems are found to be very similar to Pythagorean and Euclidean geometry. This series of illustrations explores the unique combinations of these colorful squares, triangles, and circles and challenges the viewer to solve a mathematical problem with tools of the 21st century. The book has two parts: 24 illustrations that explore the 2-dimensional aspect of the geometry and 32 separate images that explore the 3-dimensional aspect of the shapes. Included are copies of the original Sangaku and the problem it describes, as well as selected references to additional works on Wasan geometry, adding a multilayered perspective to his unique artistic journey.