日本神話(Nihonshinwa)- Japanese tarot deck

Lareia

By mere accident, I stumbled across this deck. Here's the artist's page.

Does anyone know anything about it? My Japanese isn't good enough yet to fully understand the product description, but it looks like it's based on the RWS with a heavy slant of Japanese mythology and some extra cards. The art is gorgeous- I might actually order it...
 

illyria

Hi, Lareia.

I'm not sure if this comes as a full deck, but the one I can see online for comparison is Majors only. The cards measure 3.8 x 5.8 inches.
 

cardwitch

By mere accident, I stumbled across this deck. Here's the artist's page.

Does anyone know anything about it? My Japanese isn't good enough yet to fully understand the product description, but it looks like it's based on the RWS with a heavy slant of Japanese mythology and some extra cards. The art is gorgeous- I might actually order it...

Going by my intermediate level Japanese, that seems to be the case (only as Illyria said, majors only, with one extra card: "天地開闢", the name of the Japanese creation myth). If you Google search 日本神話タロット you can see more pictures of the cards. They are lovely! The reviews are very positive (though one consists of someone begging the artist to make a full 78 card version!). I've managed to order Tarot decks off German Amazon using google translate, so worst comes to worst, maybe you could use that?
 

Lareia

Thanks for the replies!

Yes, it does seem like this is majors only. I could live with that, though. I'm a bit out of funds right now and will be so for a while, but I can pass the time slowly going through the product description (it takes forever because I have to look up so much, hahah....)
 

Arimaya

Nice to meet another lover of japanese tarot! I have had this on my wishlist for a while but am holding out for a full deck.. Although I did succumb to "The Bluebird Tarot" which is another japanese majors deck.
 

Lareia

Hhhhh, the Death Card in the Bluebird tarot. I love it. I may have to get that one at some point, too...
 

madhatter00o

By mere accident, I stumbled across this deck. Here's the artist's page.

Does anyone know anything about it? My Japanese isn't good enough yet to fully understand the product description, but it looks like it's based on the RWS with a heavy slant of Japanese mythology and some extra cards. The art is gorgeous- I might actually order it...

Hey, hey! I live in Tokyo studying Japanese classical literature. When I came across this deck, I knew I had to have it! (I'm just waiting for pay-day... :p)

As it was mentioned before, it's a Major Arcana-only deck (which is somewhat common among Japanese Tarot decks) that draws mostly from the Nihon-shoki and Kojiki, Japan's earliest written histories. The Fool is Yamato Takeru (the first 'real human' archetype... very fitting, I suppose; also a legendary hero); the Magician is Ame no Uzume; the Empress is Himiko (the legendary female emperor from the Nara period!!)...

Also, instead of the Devil at XV, they use the Demon/Monster (oni), and in addition to the Creation of the Heavens and Earth that was already described, there's a second Moon card. This is because there are two Tsuku-yomi beings, one male and one female, that they are trying to reflect. While the Creation can be used in place of or in conjunction with the World, you're only really supposed to use one Moon card.

Here's a link with pictures! http://item.rakuten.co.jp/hrtg/t9505/

Nice to meet another lover of japanese tarot! I have had this on my wishlist for a while but am holding out for a full deck.. Although I did succumb to "The Bluebird Tarot" which is another japanese majors deck.

I just got the Blue Birds' Tarot myself! It's so beautiful!!! I've never seen such a magnificently sublime and dynamic Tower as the one in Blue Birds'.

I will say, I've gotten a few decks by my favourite Japanese illustrators (notably Amano Yoshitaka and Shimizu Reiko), but even though they were full 78-card decks, they often don't illustrate the pips, only the Major Arcana and the Courts. Still, pretty cards are pretty cards! :D
 

daenys

As it was mentioned before, it's a Major Arcana-only deck (which is somewhat common among Japanese Tarot decks) that draws mostly from the Nihon-shoki and Kojiki, Japan's earliest written histories. The Fool is Yamato Takeru (the first 'real human' archetype... very fitting, I suppose; also a legendary hero); the Magician is Ame no Uzume; the Empress is Himiko (the legendary female emperor from the Nara period!!)...

Also, instead of the Devil at XV, they use the Demon/Monster (oni), and in addition to the Creation of the Heavens and Earth that was already described, there's a second Moon card. This is because there are two Tsuku-yomi beings, one male and one female, that they are trying to reflect. While the Creation can be used in place of or in conjunction with the World, you're only really supposed to use one Moon card.

I love this. Do you mind translating the other cards for us too? I've always had an interest in Japanese mythology, and seeing how they've correlated legends with arcana would be interesting.
 

madhatter00o

I love this. Do you mind translating the other cards for us too? I've always had an interest in Japanese mythology, and seeing how they've correlated legends with arcana would be interesting.

I'll certainly try! I'll probably get the cards in hand around this time next week. I could finish translations and brief explanations over that weekend, if you don't mind the wait ^_^

The deck is very much based in the earliest mythology, so it doesn't deal with Edo Period youkai, or anything (which are also really fascinating). These cards would have the creative gods and goddesses (or beings).. I reckon Izanagi and Izanami will make an appearance. Also, I'll be sorely disappointed is Amaterasu isn't the Sun! XD
 

Lareia

Thanks for all the information, madhatter00o!
I've been interested in Japanese mythology for a while now- this might just be the push I need to actually start reading up on it, hahah.