British Museum - Hiroshige: artist of the open road

Advance booking only 

Exhibition Dates: 1 May – 7 September 2025
The 2FOR1 offer is valid 15 May 2025 - 24 August 2025.

To claim this offer, add the promo code in the top-right corner of the booking page on the British Museum website. When selecting tickets, select 2 Adults.

Join Hiroshige on a lyrical journey through Edo Japan, exploring the natural beauty of the landscape and the pleasures of urban life. The first exhibition on Hiroshige to be held at the British Museum, and the first on the artist in London for more than a quarter of a century, this is a visually stunning portrait of a country about to change forever. Born during an unsettled time in Japan's history, Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858) went on to become one of the country’s most talented, prolific and popular artists.

As Japan confronted the encroaching outside world, Hiroshige’s calm artistic vision connected with – and reassured – people at every level of society. From fashionable figures and energetic city views to remote landscapes and impressions of the natural world, Hiroshige captured many aspects of life in the Japan of his time. Stunning bird-and-flower prints reveal his poetic feeling for nature while his evocative landscapes reflected the growing interest in travel across Japan. Possessed of remarkable technical skills, both as a colourist and draftsman, Hiroshige had a sympathetic regard for people from all walks of life. Unlike most other print designers of his day, he came from a samurai family, but crossed social boundaries to devote himself to depicting popular customs. His work was affordable, too – along with celebrated landscape prints, he also designed hundreds of hand-held, disposable fans that were available to all.