Beginning with a brief history of printing in Japan, this book covers the various popular and commercial applications of Japanese woodblock printing during the Edo and Meiji periods (1603-1912). Discussing 200 illustrated examples, Salter explores the everyday items produced using woodblock techniques more usually associated in the West with ukiyo-e prints; and reveals much about Japanese culture and tradition through printed items such as calendars, prayer slips, playful prints, games and decorative papers.