In 1689, the German doctor Engelbert Kaempfer visited Japan for two years as part of a trip that included Persia, Russia, India, and Southeast Asia. It capitalized on the growing popularity of sightseeing in Japan and helped to make Ikku one of the most popular authors of his time. As Japan grew wealthier and more people traveled along the Tokaido, Hiroshige’s images allowed people to remember their trips — or to take a virtual trip if their finances or circumstances did not allow. Hiroshige’s prints of the Tokaido stations were so popular that they inspired copycats — in some cases, as we will see, quite literally. If you’re ever in Japan, I highly recommend it.