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Japan: 'A Man Reclines with one Wakashu and Converses with Another'. Ukiyo-e 'nanshoku' woodblock print by Hishikawa Moronobu (1618-1694), c. 1680.<br/><br/> Shunga 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. Translated literally, the Japanese word shunga means picture of spring; 'spring' is a common euphemism for sex. The ukiyo-e movement as a whole sought to express an idealisation of contemporary urban life.