On this page:
2010: Year of the Tigers -
2009: Year of the Ox (Sorry! No puzzles available) -
2008: Year of the Rat -
2007: Year of the Boar (Sorry! No puzzles available) -
2006: Year of the Dog -
2005: Year of the Cockerel -
2004: Year of the Monkey -
What is this "Lucky"?
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The white tiger and her two cubs rest in a typically colourful Ogasawara setting — this includes the emblematic pine-plum-and-bamboo, and the setting red sun.
A hint on why the sun is red
Few biographical details are available, but Ogasawara has worked as a background artist for anime production, and specialises in animal portraits. Her acclaimed painting of a pair of white tigers has also featured on a jigsaw puzzle.
Mystery... The three puzzles we have (as of April 2006) all have different copyright declarations: her name written in Japanese, "Row.E.Ogasawara" and "Row. V. Ogasawara" - the pictures in these latter two cases include a signature "Row." which might be a nickname. She writes her given name, Etsuko, with the old form of hiragana 'e', so it might also be rendered as 'Yetsuko', though this hardly explains the 'V'.
 In stock
An Appleone puzzle: 1000 pieces; 75 x 50 cm (30" x 20")
Code: A10641 (1000-641 on box)
Normally ¥3600 - special offer 15% off: ¥3060 (approx. US$35.58 €29.14 £23.72)
Shipping from ¥1200 (N. America, Europe, Australasia: approx. US$13.95 €11.43 £9.30)
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A tiger family, the father fierce-looking, the mother serene, the three cubs frolicking, is surrounded by the usual symbols of good fortune, from the red Mount Fuji in the background to the treasure in the foreground: gold coins, red coral, the mallet of good fortune, and so on. Other omens include the trio of pine, bamboo, and plum blossom, and a pair of faithful cranes.
No biographical details, but the artist Mori Seikaku specialises in animal and flower scroll paintings. He signs his work the traditional way, with the characters for his given (brush) name, Seikaku (lit. 'nest of the crane') and a seal of the same.
 This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.
In stock
An Epoch puzzle: 1500 pieces; 75 x 50 cm (30" x 20")
Code: E15066 (15-066 on box)
Retail price ¥3000 (approx. US$34.88 €28.57 £23.26)
Shipping from ¥1200 (N. America, Europe, Australasia: approx. US$13.95 €11.43 £9.30)
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The long, clear call of the cockerel has made it a traditional symbol for long life. Here Kaname surrounds the cock and hen with flowers, particularly the auspicious peony, in a classic 'bird-and-flower' (kachôzu) composition.
The painter Ozuma Kaname was born in 1939, in Niigata. He studied traditional Japanese art, and his pictures are generally based on traditional themes.
Ozuma is his family name: he signs paintings with the single character of his given name only.
In stock
An Appleone puzzle: 1000 pieces; 75 x 50 cm (30" x 20")
Code: A10326 (1000-326 on box)
Retail price ¥3600 (approx. US$41.86 €34.29 £27.91)
Shipping from ¥1200 (N. America, Europe, Australasia: approx. US$13.95 €11.43 £9.30)
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An auspicious picture for the Year of the Cockerel. All the usual good-luck elements are here: Mount Fuji, shô-chiku-bai (pine, plum, and bamboo), and cherry blossom. The cock stands proud, with his enormous long tail, while the faithful hen broods over their three chicks.
The artist Shimada Kôhô was born in 1952, in Gifu, and specialises in painting birds in the traditional style.
He signs and seals his paintings with his given name, Kôhô only.
In stock
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 75 x 50 cm (30" x 20")
Code: E11129 (11-129 on box)
Retail price ¥3000 (approx. US$34.88 €28.57 £23.26)
Shipping from ¥1200 (N. America, Europe, Australasia: approx. US$13.95 €11.43 £9.30)
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Add to basket
All about ordering (please read first)
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What is this "Lucky"?
There is a great tradition in Japan of paintings combining elements considered to bring good fortune. Some of these themes are obvious enough, such as Mt. Fuji, or the characters of the twelve-year Chinese calendar cycle, but others rely on wordplay in Japanese. For example, nanten, the plant sometimes known as "Heavenly bamboo", sounds the same as Chinese characters nan meaning "troubles", and ten meaning "to (over)turn", so it has gained an association with overcoming difficulties. This is rather as if in English-speaking countries we painted four people playing the flute, and said it meant "four-tune".
The philosophical underpinnings of all this are rather diffuse. There does not seem to be any direct connection to Buddhism, but ancient Chinese mythology, and miscellaneous folk beliefs have all been brought into play. Mark Schumacher's "Buddhist Corner" pages are a wonderful source of information.
All of the puzzles on this page relate to the successive years of the Chinese calendar animal cycle. For more pictures in this auspicious genre, try the following other pages...
- Gods - features sets of four and seven
- Traditional themes - Red Fuji, and lucky flowers, fish, animals and birds
- Tigers - the auspicious white tiger, and the ferocious yellow one
- Dragons - dragons alone and facing their arch-rival the tiger
- Kaname - painter of traditional lucky themes, particularly various animals
The Imaginatorium's resident Blinkered Empiricist has issued a disclaimer: These are attractive puzzles, but we make no claim that they will have any supernatural effect whatsoever!
Deleted puzzles
For reference: you can view all the puzzles from this page that have gone out of print in the Attic.
