Sexuality in Japan developed separately from that of mainland Asia , [ clarification needed ] as Japan did not adopt the Confucian view of marriage , in which chastity is highly valued. Monogamy in marriage is often thought to be less important in Japan, and sometimes married men may seek pleasure from courtesans. Prostitution in Japan has a long history, and became especially popular during the Japanese economic miracle , as evening entertainments were tax-deductible.
Decreased sex drive in the 21st century has been blamed for the low Japanese birth rate and declining growth of the Japanese population. Arguably [ 2 ] mass-produced pornography in Japan may have begun as early as the Edo period β , as erotic artwork referred to as shunga that was typically produced with woodblock prints in the 1,'s.
These erotic images were declared obscene and banned in by the Tokugawa shogunate , although they continued to be produced underground in smaller numbers. In contemporary times Japanese pornography has gained a worldwide following and is frequently translated and exported to other cultures because of its large spectrum of themes and media.
Most shunga are a type of ukiyo-e , the main artistic genre of woodblock printing in Japan. Although scarce, there are however extant erotic painted handscrolls which predate the Ukiyo-e movement. Following the aesthetics of everyday life, Edo period shunga varied widely in its depictions of sexuality. In the Edo period it was enjoyed by rich and poor, men and women, 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. In the years since the end of World War II , eroticism has gradually made its way into Japanese cinema.
