SHUNGA: The Lost Japanese Erotica

Documentary that explores all aspects of the culture of Shunga, which flourished during the Edo period. The famous ukiyo-e artists of the Edo period, including Katsushika Hokusai and Kitagawa Utamaro, poured their extraordinary passion into shunga. The advanced techniques of engraving and printing were used to produce many works that could be called first-rate art, but by the Meiji era (1868-1912) they had become the subject of a crackdown on obscenity. Director Hirata Junko, who has worked on numerous documentaries, looks into the profound world of shunga, which has been undergoing a reappraisal in recent years.