The Aizu-themed designs are fascinating! A slightly unusual souvenir: "Aizu Hanafuda" (Aizu playing cards) [Fukushima Prefecture]

What are Aizu Hanafuda cards?

Aizu Hanafuda is an original set of Hanafuda cards created by Kitanippon Printing Co., Ltd., a printing company in Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture. Unlike typical Hanafuda cards, which consist of 48 cards representing the flowers and plants of each of the 12 months, Aizu Hanafuda cards replace them with various local products, specialties, famous places, and historical figures associated with Aizu.

It is sold as a souvenir from Aizu at souvenir shops and roadside stations around Aizu-Wakamatsu

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List of Aizu Hanafuda cards

The actual substitutions of each card are as follows:

I'll explain it month by month!

[January] Pine tree and crane > Kannon on lacquerware

The January card features a "pine tree." In Aizu Hanafuda, however , Aizu lacquerware, a traditional craft of Aizu, is used instead, with the pine tree depicted as a design element on the lacquerware.

While the traditional design for these cards is a crane, this one features a large white statue of the Aizu Jibo Daikannon (Great Bodhisattva of Compassion) in its place

The characters on the strips of paper usually say "Akayoroshi," but they've been changed to the straightforward "Aizu Nuri."

[February] Plum blossoms and nightingales > Picture candles and Kitakata ramen

The February card features a plum blossom . Similar to the January card, it depicts plum blossoms as a motif from Aizu's traditional craft , "Aizu painted candles."

The nightingale depicted on the seed card is pecking atKitakata ramen,.

The writing on the strips of paper has also changed from "Akayoroshi" (red for good luck) to "E-rōsoku" (picture candle), just like in January

[March] The cherry blossoms fade away > Cherry blossoms and Mount Bandai

The March card features "cherry blossoms." In the distance, it depicts Mount Bandai, a famous peak in Aizu, amidst a backdrop of falling cherry blossoms , and the old-style character for Aizu, "會," is printed on the back of the card.

The trading card features Niijima Yae, who became a nationally recognized figure thanks to the NHK historical drama "Yae no Sakura."

The characters on the paper strip changed from "Miyoshino" to "The lingering moonlight . "

[April] Wisteria and cuckoos > Wisteria and Ouchi-juku

The April card features wisteria . It depicts wisteria blooming in Ouchi-juku, a town in Shimogo -machi, in the southern part of Aizuwakamatsu City, along with the local specialty , "Negi Soba" (green onion soba noodles)

The seed card features a cuckoo pecking at scallion soba noodles

[May] Irises and Yatsuhashi > Irises and Higan Shishi

The May card features the iris . It depicts the Isasumi Shrine, the guardian shrine of Aizu, which boasts the "Iris Garden" in its outer precincts where 100,000 irises bloom , and the seed card shows the Aizu Higan Shishi, a spring tradition of Aizu , in motion.

[June] Peonies and butterflies > Katsu-don with sauce and millet dumplings

The June card featuresa "peony." Aizu's famous"sauce katsudon"is served in a bowl decorated with a peony lacquer design.

The seed tags feature a butterfly and Yanagizu's specialty"millet bun," and even the sauce katsudon is described"Yanagizu style,".

[July] Wild boar on bush clover > Cow on hollyhock

The July card features thebush clover ("hagi"). However, in Aizu Hanafuda, the Aizu-Wakamatsu city flower,the hollyhock ("tachiaoi"),is used instead of the bush clover.

The seed card is usually a "boar," but here, the Aizu folk toy"Akabeko"is used as a substitute.

[August] Pampas grass and the moon > Pampas grass and Tsuruga Castle

The August card features "Japanese pampas grass ." Beyond the pampas grass is depicted Tsuruga Castle , a famous castle in Aizu that was said to be impregnable. While the sky on the seed cards usually shows geese flying, this one features a flock of swans heading towards Lake Inawashiro

[September] Chrysanthemums and sake cups > Windmills and kozuyu (a type of dewdrop)

The September card features a chrysanthemum . However, Aizu's name tags depict a windmill, which , along with the roly-poly doll and Hatsune, is counted among the "Three Auspicious Symbols of Aizu."

The seed card now features "Kozuyu," a representative local dish from Aizu, instead of a sake cup

[October] Autumn leaves and deer > Little monk and lord

The October card features "Autumn Leaves (Momiji) ." Depicted alongside the autumn leaves is the "Okiagari-koboshi, " one of the "Three Auspicious Legends of Aizu," which is considered a symbol of perseverance and resilience .

Instead of a deer, the seed card features Matsudaira Katamori, the 9th lord of the Aizu Matsudaira domain

[November] Willow and Ono no Michikaze > People associated with willows

The November card features a willow tree . The tanzaku (paper strip) depicts the Shinsengumi, the strongest group of swordsmen in the late Edo period . The kasu (low-value) card features the Sazaedo temple on Iimoriyama mountain . The seed card features Ohara Shosuke, the libertine sung about in the folk song "Aizu Bandai-san . "

The light-up card features Hideyo Noguchi standing by the lake in his hometown of Inawashiro, along with other symbols of Aizu

[December] Phoenix on paulownia wood > Chinese kite on paulownia wood clogs

The December card features the paulownia tree . The card depicts the Aizu Tojin kite , a traditional craft designated by Fukushima Prefecture, and the light card features the paulownia wood geta sandals , a specialty product of Nishiaizu .

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summary

For example, "boar, deer, and butterfly" are replaced with "cow, lord, and butterfly"... Even if you know Hanafuda, you might get confused when playing if you don't fully grasp the substitutions... But I think it would be a pretty welcome souvenir from Aizu, given its unique nature

The manufacturer, Kitanippon Printing Co., Ltd., has set up a special page for "Aizu Hanafuda" on their official website, and it seems they are accepting direct orders via email. If you're interested, please take a look

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