Comment by mitthrowaway2
2 months ago
When written top to bottom, the columns are read from right to left. This is the most common format for printed text, especially in Hokusai's time.
Also, when text was horizontal, it was frequently written right to left until the mid-1940s.[1]
[1] https://www.mutantfrog.com/2009/08/08/the-history-of-japanes...
Again, even in the scenario you are describing, it is right-to-left when it comes to organizing columns/page layout (just like it would be with manga), but the text is still not right-to-left. It is top-to-bottom text vertical columns going left-to-right horizontally.
There is not a single instance I can think of where the actual text in Japanese would be read/written horizontally right-to-left.
My original comment only mentioned traditional Japanese text layout. Let's just look at the text in the Great Wave:
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%95%E3%82%A1%E3%82%A4%E3...
Per https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%A5%9E%E5%A5%88%E5%B7%9D%E6... , it is read 「冨嶽三十六景 / 神奈川沖 / 浪裏 」 which is top to bottom, then right to left, i.e. "神奈川沖" before "浪裏".
Arguments about modern Japanese text layout is beyond the scope of my original comment, and I don't think it's meaningful to discuss it anyway. Those who know and use Japanese know, and those who don't, don't need to know.
Did you read the article I linked? Or even the third sentence of my comment? The scenario I'm describing is horizontal text! It was common pre-war.
If you'd like to have an instance, here's a sign written horizontally from right to left.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horizontal_and_vertical_writin...