The characters in virtually all shunga are completely dressed. People in Japan were accustomed to observing the opposite sex naked in community baths, thus nudity was not intrinsically erotic. The apparel also assisted the reader in identifying courtesans and outsiders, as the prints frequently held symbolic significance, and they attracted attention to the exposed portions of the body, particularly the genitalia. Shunga lovers are frequently shown in unnatural poses with enlarged genitalia. This has an intriguing explanation: it boosted the visibility of sexually explicit material.