India has the Kama Sutra, the US has the Playboy (an odd analogy, I think) and Japan has shunga! I just learned about shunga today while browsing Japan Today. It's a traditional Japanese art on woodblock that depicts sex.
Here's how Wikipedia explained shunga:
Shunga (春画) is a Japanese term for erotic art. Most shunga are a type of ukiyo-e, usually executed in woodblock print format. While rare, there are extant erotic painted handscrolls which predate the Ukiyo-e movement.[1] Translated literally, the Japanese word shunga means picture of spring; "spring" is a common euphemism for sex.
I haven't seen a shunga art yet in person. I got curious so I look for images related to shunga. Here are some of the "milder"ones which means the genitalia is not shown. The others that I saw may not be appropriate for this blog. ^_^
I find it noteworthy how the people in the shunga prints are still clothed in Japanese traditional clothes. Then reading further on Wikipedia's article, there was actually an explanation why the people are fully-clothed.
It was stated there that Japanese don't find nudity erotic in those times since communal bathing is common. It was also a way to emphasize the genitalia- which is the only part that is fully shown. It was further implied that shunga artists clothed people in their works to distinguish them from foreign erotic art. By this I presume that Japanese views foreign erotic art shows nude bodies.
(More on Japanese Art, here)
Shunga, like some images in Kama Sutra, also show couples in impossible sexual positions which can only happen in art. I haven't learned yet why they are shown that way. (Maybe I'll add it when I have researched more on it.)
Personally, I found the existence of shunga revealing. Now I'm not surprised why henti versions of animes and mangas are surprised. Although shunga is not considered porn, as stated in Wiikipedia, I guess it shows how Japan's fascination with sex evolved culturally and historically. (But this is just my opinion, I would like to hear more sound research on this.)
And just in case you're curious, there's a Shunga Exhibition at Vermeer Center Ginza until the end of this month.
Links for more of Shunga Art:
http://www.nipponlugano.ch/en/shunga-multimedia/
http://www.morra-japaneseart.com/gallery/prints/05.htm
Here's how Wikipedia explained shunga:
Shunga (春画) is a Japanese term for erotic art. Most shunga are a type of ukiyo-e, usually executed in woodblock print format. While rare, there are extant erotic painted handscrolls which predate the Ukiyo-e movement.[1] Translated literally, the Japanese word shunga means picture of spring; "spring" is a common euphemism for sex.
Following the aesthetics of everyday life, Edo period shunga varied widely in its depictions of sexuality. As a subset of ukiyo-e it was enjoyed by all social groups in the Edo period, despite being out of favour with the shogunate. Almost all ukiyo-e artists made shunga at some point in their careers, and it did not detract from their prestige as artists.[1] Classifying shunga as a kind of medieval pornography can be misleading in this respect.[2
I haven't seen a shunga art yet in person. I got curious so I look for images related to shunga. Here are some of the "milder"ones which means the genitalia is not shown. The others that I saw may not be appropriate for this blog. ^_^
 |
| photo credit: http://www.morra-japaneseart.com/img/prints/detail/E%2035.htm |
 |
| photo credit: http://www.1st-art-gallery.com/Kitagawa-Utamaro/Two-Shunga-From-'ehon-Komachi-Biki'.html |
 |
| photo credit: http://www.morra-japaneseart.com/img/prints/detail/E%2070.htm |
It was stated there that Japanese don't find nudity erotic in those times since communal bathing is common. It was also a way to emphasize the genitalia- which is the only part that is fully shown. It was further implied that shunga artists clothed people in their works to distinguish them from foreign erotic art. By this I presume that Japanese views foreign erotic art shows nude bodies.
(More on Japanese Art, here)
Shunga, like some images in Kama Sutra, also show couples in impossible sexual positions which can only happen in art. I haven't learned yet why they are shown that way. (Maybe I'll add it when I have researched more on it.)
Personally, I found the existence of shunga revealing. Now I'm not surprised why henti versions of animes and mangas are surprised. Although shunga is not considered porn, as stated in Wiikipedia, I guess it shows how Japan's fascination with sex evolved culturally and historically. (But this is just my opinion, I would like to hear more sound research on this.)
And just in case you're curious, there's a Shunga Exhibition at Vermeer Center Ginza until the end of this month.
Links for more of Shunga Art:
http://www.nipponlugano.ch/en/shunga-multimedia/
http://www.morra-japaneseart.com/gallery/prints/05.htm
