09/02/2024
In case you didn‘t know already, based on ancient traditions imported from China, 2024 will be the Year of the Dragon here in Japan.
This picture is ”Dragon Flying over Mount Fuji“ (INFE,
齋画譜,Hokusai gafu), 1849, one of the many great dragon
images that he completed over the course of his long and illustrious career.
Pictures of this large magical legendary creature, of course, appear in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons however vary considerably from region to region.
Japanese dragons(日本の竜/龍,Nihon no ryui) are likewise
diverse legendary creatures in Japanese mythology and folklore, because Japanese dragon myths amalgamate native legends with imported stories about dragons from China, Korea and the Indian subcontinent.
The style and appearance of the dragon most tellingly though was heavily influenced by the Chinese dragon, especially the three-clawed long ( #) dragons which were introduced in Japan from China in ancient times.
Like these other East Asian dragons, most Japanese ones are water deities or kami associated with rainfall and bodies of water, and are typically depicted as large, wingless, serpentine creatures with clawed feet. They are also regarded as lucky, flexible, eccentric, imaginative, artistic, spiritual, and charismatic.
Anyway, whatever your zodiac sign, or whether or not you believe in this kind of mythology, may your year be serene, prosperous and full of good health and positive, life affirming memories.
Good luck.
by J in Japan