In 1860, two hot-air balloons were launched in Philadelphia to celebrate the Japanese diplomatic delegation during its first tour of the United States after trade was opened between the two nations in 1858. This widely publicized event sparked the imaginations of Utagawa Yoshitora and other Japanese artists who had never seen the intriguing flying contraptions before. An abundance of prints featuring hot-air balloons emerged soon after, largely associated with invented views of the United States.