Born in Niigata Prefecture as Hashimoto Tadayoshi, Chikanobu was trained in Kano School painting, and later studied with the Utagawa masters Kuniyoshi and Kunisada, and finally with Toyohara Kunichika. He received his artist’s name from Kunichika. While his artistic activity began in the Bunkyu era (1861-4) he made his artistic reputation in the 1880’s with triptychs illustrating political events of the Meiji period, depictions of the Imperial family, and customs and manners of a changing Japan; particularly women and children. One of his series of triptychs is entitled, “The Customs of the Inner Palace of the Chiyoda Castle”. Like many other artists of the period, Chikanobu also produced triptychs of the Sino-Japanese war of 1894-1895.