In the majority of cases the sexual act depicted in shunga take place in the bedroom, either in a private house, an inn or a brothel. But there is also a great diversity of locations.
Sex While Cooking
For example, the Kuniyoshi design below from his Chinpen shinkeibai series shows the intimate couple in the kitchen while cooking, with the wife (or maid) complaining that dinner will not be ready on time. The male is assisting her and tries to accelerate the boiling process by blowing air to the fire with a pipe. The relaxing cat forms an amusing contrast to the hurried activities of the couple.
‘Sex during housekeeping‘ (c.1838) from the series ‘Chinpen shinkeibai ‘by Utagawa Kuniyoshi (Picture William Pearl)
Kuniyoshi’s Cats
The cat was Kuniyoshi favorite animal and he added them regularly in his shunga work. References to cats can also be found in many of the pseudonyms he used such as Hakubyôkai Hodoyoshi (happy keeper of white cats), Gobyôtei Hodoyoshi (five cat home–just right), and Sanbentei Nekoyoshi (the Sanbentei cat lover)
Click HERE for more shunga by the cat lover Kuniyoshi…!!!
