While heralded as the "poet of travel," Hiroshige's most intimate urban portraits are those of his hometown. From blushing cherry trees at Ueno to crowded theaters along the moonlit streets of Saruwaka-machi, One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (1856-1858) portrays the spirit of Japan’s 19th-century cultural capital in all its dynamic splendor. Hiroshige's series captures not merely the famous sights of the city, but the residents and rituals that bring the city to life. Between natural beauty and urban landscape, changing seasons and local celebrations, Hiroshige creates a veritable microcosm of Edo life with each woodblock print.