The Kisokaidō journey through Japan was established in the early 1600s by the country's then-ruler, Tokugawa Ieyasu, who ordered the installation of stations along the arduous route between Edo (now Tokyo) and Kyoto. Inns, shops, and restaurants were set up to provide food and accommodation to weary travelers. In 1835, the famous woodblock artist Keisai Eisen was commissioned to create a series of works that would capture the Kisokaidō journey. After producing 24 prints, Eisen was replaced by Utagawa Hiroshige, who completed the series of 70 prints in 1838. Both were masters of printmaking. In the series 'The Sixty-Nine Stations along the Kisokaidō', one encounters the distinct styles of the artists as well as their shared expertise. From the bustling initial station of Nihonbashi to the castle town of Iwamurata, Eisen opts for a softer palette but excels in figures, particularly of glamorous women, and relishes moments of activity along the route, from shoeing a horse to grinding rice. Hiroshige demonstrates his landscape prowess with grand and expressive scenes, whether it's the serene banks of the Ota River, the daunting Wada Pass, or a moonlit climb between Yawata and Mochizuki. Overall, the collection 'The Sixty-Nine Stations' represents not just a masterpiece of woodblock art, including bold compositions and experimental use of color, but also a captivating tapestry of 19th-century Japan, long before the advent of industrialization. This edition by TASCHEN is sourced from one of the best-preserved first editions and revives the series in our compact anniversary edition.