Because of the Meiji Restoration, the era of Tokugawa Shogunate that prospered for 260 years ended. The period shifted from Edo to Meiji. Yet, ukiyo-e that “reflects the contemporary”, continued to play the major roles: Meisho-e that illustrated the newly introduced cultures, kaika-e that depicted the Meiji Restoration, nishiki-e shinbun (newspapers with illustrations of polychrome print) and the illustrations of Imperial House all played important roles by introducing the situation of newly transformed society.
Ukiyo-e gradually declined by newly presented media such as newspapers and photos. However ukiyo-e artists turned into illustrators or painters of Japanese style paintings, as bird-eye view picture of Yoshida Hatsusaburo were increasingly popular during Taisho to Showa period, the tradition of ukiyo-e were passed down to the different genres.
In the late Meiji period, the techniques to produce pictures greatly shifted from woodblock prints that supported the foundation of ukiyo-e, to lithographs or copperplate engraving techniques. The techniques of pictures went through great changes. However, instead of ukiyo-e artists, the landscapes of “Fujisawa” and “Enoshima Island”, as the famous places, continue to be drawn by newly emerged “painters”.