Japanese Zodiac Animals Ukiyo-e カレンダー

Travel through the Japanese seasons with the twelve animals of the zodiac. In Japan, the twelve zodiac animals (juunishi) have marked the passing of time for centuries, appearing in New Year greetings, shrine charms, and folk art. In this calendar, each animal takes center stage in a classic seasonal scene, painted in the spirit of ukiyo-e woodblock prints with heavy impasto texture, thick bold outlines, and traditional pigments of indigo, vermilion, ochre, and sumi black. What's inside: January – Rat: mice pounding New Year rice cakes February – Ox: resting in a snowy plum grove March – Tiger: walking beneath blooming peach trees April – Rabbit: two white rabbits under cherry blossoms May – Dragon: a carp climbing a waterfall and becoming a dragon June – Snake: a white snake among rainy-season hydrangeas July – Horse: a galloping horse in yabusame horseback archery August – Sheep: grazing in a meadow of summer grass September – Monkey: gazing at the harvest moon October – Rooster: standing under red maple leaves November – Dog: a Shiba Inu beside a fallen-leaf bonfire December – Boar: trudging through a snowy mountain forest What makes it special: • No year appears in the artwork, so you can start your calendar from any month you like. • Designed in Japan. Each image was illustrated with AI, then hand-selected month by month for how well it captures the feeling of the season. • Front cover: all twelve zodiac animals circling the rising sun over Mount Fuji. Back cover: the twelve animals crossing a red arched bridge at sunset. A meaningful gift for New Year, birthdays, and anyone who loves Japanese art and the zodiac.