Hodogaya: A bridge over a stream, and across it two coolies are carrying a closed kago towards a village on the opposite bank; behind the village rises a low wooden hill. At this countryside station the travellers had covered a distance of 34 km from Edo and were well into the mood of travelling. By the bridge stands a restaurant which serves Soba (buckwheat noodle) and waitresses stand in front beckoning travellers to the restaurant. 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.