Chikanobu Toyohara is an important Meiji artist and his prints have become quite popular among collectors. Much more attention has been given this artist with the 2006 publication of Bruce Coats' definitive book on the artist.

Chikanobu was a student of Toyohara Kunichika and his original name was Hashimoto. He took both the last name and the second part of chika of his master's first name. He signed his prints usually with Yoshu Chikanobu or Yoshu Chikanobu hitsu. Favorite subjects of Chikanobu were historical and muythological legneds and histories from Japan's past and genre secenes with women and children. The percentage of triptyches among the prints breated by the asrtist is higher than any other artist of the Meiji period.

Among his best known series are triptychs showing court life in and around the Chiyoda Palace.