Born in Edo, eldest son of a samurai of the Tahara domain in Mikawa. The family was very poor.
Around this time he studied painting to help the family finances, later learning under Tani Bunchō and winning fame as a painter.
He became a chief retainer of Tahara, in charge of coastal defence and domain reform.
Around this time he painted the Portrait of Takami Senseki, incorporating Western techniques; it is now a National Treasure.
Studying world affairs through Dutch learning with Takano Chōei and others, he learned of the Morrison Incident and wrote Shinkiron, criticizing shogunate foreign policy.
Arrested for criticizing the shogunate, he was confined at Tahara (the Bansha Purge).
When his selling paintings at Tahara to make a living became an issue, he feared bringing trouble on his lord and took his own life.
Takano ChōeiSatō IssaiEgawa HidetatsuKawaji Toshiakira
Hirose TansoAizawa SeishisaiNinomiya SontokuŌshio HeihachirōMizuno TadakuniMatthew C. PerryPhilipp Franz von SieboldUtagawa Hiroshige
People of the Edo period ・ People by period
Based on facts found in textbooks and biographies. Uncertain points are marked as such.