Nihonbashi: View looking across Nihon Bridge, Edo, from whence all distances were measured with a daimyo's cortege coming into view over the summit. In the foreground is a group of five fish-vendors (and a sixth partly hidden) getting out of the way, on the left, and two dogs on the right. This bridge was located in the centre of Edo and was the starting point of the Tokaido Highway. Utagawa Hiroshige (1797 October 12, 1858) was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist, and one of the last great artists in that tradition. He was also referred to as Andi Hiroshige (an irregular combination of family name and art name) and by the art name of Ichiyusai Hiroshige. The Ti kaidi (East Sea Road) was the most important of the Five Routes of the Edo period, connecting Edo (modern-day Tokyo) to Kyoto in Japan. Unlike the inland and less heavily travelled Nakasendi, the Ti kaidi travelled along the sea coast of eastern Honshu, hence the route's name.