Cats of Tokaido is part of Utagawa Kuniyoshi's celebrated series in which the fifty-three stations of the Tokaido road are reimagined with cats in place of human travellers. Kuniyoshi was renowned for his playful anthropomorphism — a recurring element across multiple series — and this work displays his characteristic combination of technical ukiyo-e precision with irreverent visual humour. The cats are rendered with the same compositional care and bold line as his more serious prints, making the wit of the conceit all the more effective against the formal graphic language of the Edo period.

The rich graphic patterning and warm ink tones of this composition find a natural home on canvas, where the surface texture adds depth and a tactile warmth to the detailed linework — making this canvas print a lively and considered choice for the series.