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pdf, Investigating netsuke―as a typical Edo-Period product―these appear to have been primarily used as an asset for expressing one's social status and cultural inclination. Thus, we can easily find that monkeys enjoyed a great popularity. This popularity of monkeys as a theme in netsuke can probably be interpreted as an indication that people preferred them as a perfect vehicle for expressing their sense of humor. More cultured people would rather have a netsuke in shape of Chinese sennin or figures from Chinese or Japanese history. Zhongkui (Shôki), more popular in Japan than in China, was probably foremost seen as a token to ward off evil (oni). However, when netsuke became increasingly popular in especially the late Edo-Period, subjects such as people of various profession increase in netsuke, as a rather innocent demonstration of one's own profession. At the same time we can notice that classical subjects undergo a change: sometimes the original iconography is only loosely applied and probably both the carvers and the audience who wore such netsuke are less aware of the original meaning of the stories. Yet, what is really impressive, is that the total number of “stories” or “subjects” illustrated in netsuke, amounts to some 250 in all. If we would nowadays have to enumerate some 250 different “stories” or “story-related subjects” many of us would have something of a problem. A similar development is actually seen in woodblock prints where there is, of course, a large group of well-known oiran normally identified by name and the house where they were employed. However, beyond this group, there are prints of kabukiscenes. Those marketed for the group of real fanatics who would immediately identify the actor and the play, normally do not feature the names of the actors and the role they impersonate. Another group of such prints, however, is aimed at an audience who would be at a loss without this information. In the format of New Year's surimono, we are again dealing with a late revival of a group of people who saw themselves as highly cultured, playing in word and image on sometimes very obscure literary sources. There is an apparent revival of interest in classic texts although this is sometimes more nominal than also a thorough comprehension. Designers such as Totoya Hokkei and, even to a larger extent Gakutei Sadaoka, are welcome exceptions. Especially the latter, well-versed in a wide range of Chinese literature even, comes up with surprising examples.