During the Edo period, the woodblock print transitioned from a principally Buddhist practice to the popular artistic world of ukiyo-e. Ukiyo-e, or "pictures of the floating world," celebrated the pleasure-driven spirit of Edo's merchant class. Buddhist subject s are rare in ukiyo-e. Yet, the term "ukiyo-e" itself bears a Buddhist origin, referring to the transient and troubled nature of human life. So while overtly Buddhist subject matter declined in woodblock prints during the Edo period, favoring the famous courtesans and kabuki actors, the spirit was never far from the medium.