Suzuki Harunobu is credited with developing full-color nishiki-e printing in Edo around 1765.
Harunobu’s innovation grew from the technical work of printers and publishers who developed more complex registration and multiblock methods. Earlier ukiyo-e prints were often monochrome or used only a few colors. Nishiki-e, sometimes called brocade pictures, could combine many separately carved and inked blocks in one image.
The new process enabled delicate color harmonies, patterned textiles, seasonal settings, and refined figures. Harunobu became especially known for elegant young women and idealized scenes of everyday life. His prints were relatively small, often in the chūban format.
“Full-color” does not mean that every possible color appeared in each print. It means the image was printed with multiple color blocks rather than being limited to a single black key block or hand-applied color.