Hiroshige's Tokaido in Prints and Poetry Author:Reiko Chiba 55 color prints accompanied by Japanese poetry in three celebrated forms: tanka, haiku, and senryu. In 1832, when he was 35, the man who was to become the most popular woodblock artist of all time journeyed down the highway from Tokyo to Kyoto. His name was Ichiryusai Hiroshige. He and his companions were escorting a gift horse from Shogun to th... more »e Emperor. The Japanese had long called the road they traveled "the way facing the eastern ocean," or "Tokaido." Over the years through cusom and convenience some 53 stopping places had been established about a day's journey apart. Two years later in 1834 these 55 prints were offered and have been very popular ever since.« less