In the often featureless landscape of Tokyo, a fleeting glimpse of Tokyo Tower in the distance can help to give a sense of direction and position. No matter how unfamiliar a particular street may be, seeing a familiar landmark in the distance often makes us feel strangely at home.

It may have been this feeling that Katsushika Hokusai, the Japanese artist and lifetime resident of Edo, was trying to capture when he produced his famous "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji," each of which features the emblematic peak seen from different locations in and around the city.

Or it may simply have been a convenient way of "branding" his woodblock-print views of the capital for travelers to buy and take home to prove they had seen the sights.