We, Japanese have a deep connection with crane birds since ancient times.
The beautiful crane birds can be seen in many occasions, such as Japanese old stories, music, paintings, and so on.
Crane birds are not just beautiful but also thankful, as they are symbols of long life, prosperity and a good luck.
In Japanese phrases, we have “crane birds live a thousand years, turtles live a ten thousand years”
Also crane bird’s voice is said to reach to the heaven, as they cry loudly.
When crane birds make a couple, they stay forever and never separate.
So we symbolize crane bird couple as “good married couple”.
Especially at weddings, we use crane birds in many situations, for special wedding kimono pattern, for wedding venue decorations, or on celebratory statement.
As crane birds are grateful good luck symbols, we believe that owning something with crane bird motif will bring us a good luck and a healthy long life.
I love to paint these beautiful birds, crane birds on my hanging scrolls too.
crane birds Japanese painting artCrane birds Japanese painting Kakejiku artCrane bird Japanese painting artCrane birds Japanese painting Kakejiku artCrane birds Japanese painting Kakejiku artExtra large Japanese painting art Kakejiku crane birdFukuro obi Kakejiku style Japanese painting art Crane bird, Sakura, Koi fish
Mt. Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan, the altitude of 3,776m.
It is well known not just in Japan but in the world as the world heritage site.
The reason Mt. Fuji was selected as a World Heritage Site, is not only for its value as a famous mountain of nature and beauty, but also for the faith held by the Japanese in the existence of Mt. Fuji and its value as a source of art born through Mt. Fuji.
Since ancient times, Japanese people felt divinity in Mt. Fuji and admired it as the symbol of spirituality.
They looked up Mt. Fuji and prayed.
How did Mt. Fuji become a mountain of prayer?
Mt. Fuji is the symbol of “mountain worship”.
“Sangaku-shinko ” 山岳信仰” is a faith worshipping mountains as being sacred.
So what is “Sangaku- shinko” -mountain worship?
Japan is an island country, of around 75% of the land being occupied with mountains and forests.
This fact already made people have strong connections with mountains.
In the old days, the souls of the dead who left their bodies were thought to climb mountains.
When Buddhism was transmitted, people started to believe the souls of the dead climbed the mountain and they would become Buddhas at the summit. As a result, the mountain has come to be regarded as the most sacred place where God and Buddha live together.
There are many shrines in and around mountains, and of course Mt. Fuji also has shrines called “asama shrine”浅間神社“ on its summit and around it as well.
asama shrineasama shrine
That is because Mt.Fuji is God himself.
On the other hand, Mt. Fuji is a beautiful active volcano.
There has not been a major eruption in the last 300 years since the last eruption of 1707, but it has a history of being feared not only as beautiful but also as a scary mountain.
Asama Shrine, which is scattered throughout the Mt. Fuji area, also has a deep desire to calm the terrible disaster.
In Western Europe, nature, including mountains, should be conquered by the power of God. There is a big difference from Japan, which feels the sign of God and Buddha from rich nature and thinks that the mountain is a god.
That is the reason that Mt. Fuji is very special mountain for Japanese people.
And as a source of art, famous painters and artists left behind their works that were in some way in connection with Mt. Fuji, especially since Edo period.
From folding screen paintings, fusuma paintings, hanging scrolls, the pilgrimage mandala, which is the object of faith, and as well as the decoration of crafts such as costume patterns, daily fixtures, and furnishings, countless figures of Mt. Fuji were drawn.
I myself, love to draw beautiful Mt. Fuji.
Mt. Fuji has the power to captivate a person from a first look.
drawing Mt. Fuji in SuibokugaMt.Fuji in the sunrise paintingMt. Fuji with sakura and Koi fish painting hanging scrollJapanese painting ZEN禅 with Mt. FujiGorgeous kimono silk obi belt Japanese painting hanging scroll Mt. Fuji Kakejiku art
Japanese painting calligraphy art hanging scroll Kakejiku wall decor crane birds, Mt.Fuji, Japanese pine tree
Crane bird － Japanese healthy long life symbol
Crane birds are beautiful big white birds with a little bit of black color on wings and necks.
Even though we don’t get to see them often, crane birds are very familiar for many of Japanese people.
Crane birds are often used as a symbol of good luck and healthy long life.
Especially at the cerebration occasions, we see crane bird pictures and decorations.
On new year day, we use items with crane bird pictures, such as kimono, special black box for special new year food called “osechi”, new year cards called “nengajo”.
We turn on TV on a new year day, we see many CMs using crane birds fling toward Mt. Fuji.
On wedding, brides wear special wedding kimono with beautiful crane bird embroidery.
Crane birds are often be seen with Mt. Fuji on these occasions, as Mt. Fuji is also another good luck symbol.
It is funny that I have never seen actual crane birds, but they have been very familiar birds to me since I was small.
They are beautiful and my favorite birds.
Japanese special good luck necklace -crane bird ORIZURU, Sensu, Sakura, pinetreeJapanese painting calligraphy art hanging scroll Kakejiku wall decor -landscape Mt. Fuji, crane birds, SakuraJapanese painting calligraphy art hanging scroll Kakejiku wall decor crane bird, Mt. Fuji, SakuraCrystal dome Japanese good luck crane bird ORIZURU, Sakura cherry blossom, pine tree necklaceJapanese style good luck necklace – crane birds ORIZURU, Mt.Fuji, Sakura cherry blossom, pine tree
