In 1907, as a successful artist, he was recruited by Shozaburo Watanabe to contribute to the Shin-hanga (New Prints) art movement in Japan. Watanabe helped to fulfill the Western demand for ukiyo-e woodblock prints which would be similar to familiar historical masters of that genre. In about 1921 Shotei added the artistic name of Hiroaki. In 1923 the Great Kanto earthquake (and subsequent fire) destroyed Watanabe's facilities; this included all Shin-hanga woodblocks. Thus, Shotei recreated prior designs destroyed in the Great Kanto earthquake and also continued to produce new woodblocks.
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