Ukiyo-e "Pictures of the Floating World"- Yakusha-e 役者絵 (Kabuki, actors)

Ukiyo-e is a genre of Japanese art which flourished from the 17th through 19th centuries. Its artists produced woodblock prints and paintings of such subjects as female beauties; kabuki actors and sumo wrestlers; scenes from history and folk tales; travel scenes and landscapes; flora and fauna; and erotica. The term ukiyo-e (浮世絵 IPA: [u.ki.jo.e]) translates as "picture[s] of the floating world".

The Floating World culture developed in Yoshiwara, the licensed red-light district of Edo (modern Tokyo), which was the site of many brothels, chashitsu, and kabuki theaters frequented by Japan's growing middle class. ... The ukiyo culture also arose in other cities such as Osaka and Kyoto.

Ukiyo-e  has 6 sub genres, shunga is the primary genre of this site however lets not forget this fantastic genre of  "Kabuki", local actors performing in the district.

Utagawa Kuniyasu (歌川 国安, 1794–1832) 

Kuniyasa was a Japanese artist best known for his prints in the ukiyo-e style as a member of the Utagawa school.

Three Kabuki Actors Playing Hanetsuki (ca1823)

Ishikawa Toyonobu (石川 豊信, 1711 – July 1, 1785) 

Toyonobu was a Japanese ukiyo-e print artist. He is sometimes said to have been the same person as Nishimura Shigenobu, a contemporary ukiyo-e artist and student of Nishimura Shigenaga about whom very little is known.

Kabuki actors Nakamura Shichisaburō II and Sanogawa Ichimatsu

Katsushika Hokusai (葛飾 北斎), c. October 31, 1760 – May 10, 1849)

1824 Kabuki Actors Ichikawa Danjûrô 7th as Soga no Gorô and Iwai Shijaku 1st as Kewaizaka no Shôshô, with poems by Bunkeisha Shiomichi, Bunseisha Harushige

Read more on the Ukiyo-e wikipage here