The Attic

© Mori Seikaku

Year of the Rat (Seikaku)

A family of white rats play on the luck mallet, an icon from Japanese mythology which gives out money if shaken and can bring wishes true. The other elements - Mount Fuji, the cranes, pine bamboo and plum - complete this auspicious scene.

No biographical details, but the artist Mori Seikaku specialises in animal and flower scroll paintings. He signs his work the traditional way, with the characters for his given (brush) name, Seikaku (lit. 'nest of the crane') and a seal of the same.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1500 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E15033 (15-033 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

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© Mori Seikaku

Year of the Ox (Seikaku)

An ox family surrounded by the usual symbols of good fortune, from the red Mount Fuji in the background to the plants in the foreground. The mother(?) ox pulls a cart laden with treasure—gold coins, red coral, auspicious red snapper fish and the trunks labelled with the character for '1000', meaning that they contain 1000 ryo.

No biographical details, but the artist Mori Seikaku specialises in animal and flower scroll paintings. He signs his work the traditional way, with the characters for his given (brush) name, Seikaku (lit. 'nest of the crane') and a seal of the same.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1500 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E15054 (15-054 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

More puzzles like this one

© Mori Seikaku

Year of the Tiger (Seikaku)

A tiger family, the father fierce-looking, the mother serene, the three cubs frolicking, is surrounded by the usual symbols of good fortune, from the red Mount Fuji in the background to the treasure in the foreground: gold coins, red coral, the mallet of good fortune, and so on. Other omens include the trio of pine, bamboo, and plum blossom, and a pair of faithful cranes.

No biographical details, but the artist Mori Seikaku specialises in animal and flower scroll paintings. He signs his work the traditional way, with the characters for his given (brush) name, Seikaku (lit. 'nest of the crane') and a seal of the same.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1500 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E15066 (15-066 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

More puzzles like this one

© Epoch

Year of the Rabbit (Seikaku)

A complete rabbit family of seven welcomes the year of their sign by bringing a huge hoard of treasure, along with the usual auspicious symbols, from Mount Fuji to the Golden Mallet.

No biographical details, but the artist Mori Seikaku specialises in animal and flower scroll paintings. He signs his work the traditional way, with the characters for his given (brush) name, Seikaku (lit. 'nest of the crane') and a seal of the same.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1500 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E15067 (15-067 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

More puzzles like this one

© Mori Seikaku

Year of the Dragon (Seikaku)

Three dragons, blue, green, and silver are here to bring good luck and (monetary) fortune. Gold coin already lies stacked on the shore, while the treasure boat brings even more. The image is packed with auspicious symbols: red Mount Fuji in the distance, the Shinto emblems of the torii (ceromonial arch) and two rocks joined by a shimenawa (sacred rope), the traditional pine, plum, and bamboo, and more...

No biographical details, but the artist Mori Seikaku specialises in animal and flower scroll paintings. He signs his work the traditional way, with the characters for his given (brush) name, Seikaku (lit. 'nest of the crane') and a seal of the same.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1500 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E15071 (15-071 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

More puzzles like this one

© Mori Seikaku

Year of the Snake (Seikaku)

A white snake is said to be auspicious, bringing good fortune to one who sees it, and here these three spendid specimens are literally accompanied by a pile of gold. All the usual lucky symbols are in the background, from Mount Fuji in the distance to the carp in the foreground pond.

No biographical details, but the artist Mori Seikaku specialises in animal and flower scroll paintings. He signs his work the traditional way, with the characters for his given (brush) name, Seikaku (lit. 'nest of the crane') and a seal of the same.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued November 2017
An Epoch puzzle: 1500 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E15072 (15-072 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

More puzzles like this one

© Mori Seikaku

Year of the Horse (Seikaku)

Find stallions parade before an auspiciously red Mount Fuji. All the usual symbols of good fortune, including a shogi koma with the character for horse (馬) in mirror writing, which is also said to be a good thing.

No biographical details, but the artist Mori Seikaku specialises in animal and flower scroll paintings. He signs his work the traditional way, with the characters for his given (brush) name, Seikaku (lit. 'nest of the crane') and a seal of the same.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1500 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E15073 (15-073 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

More puzzles like this one

© Mori Seikaku

Year of the Ram (Seikaku)

The ram and family are surrounded by the usual array of auspicious elements, from the red Mount Fuji in the background to the pile of treasure.

No biographical details, but the artist Mori Seikaku specialises in animal and flower scroll paintings. He signs his work the traditional way, with the characters for his given (brush) name, Seikaku (lit. 'nest of the crane') and a seal of the same.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1500 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E15074 (15-074 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

More puzzles like this one

© Mori Seikaku

Year of the Cockerel (Seikaku)

The cockerel looks proudly on as his hen looks after her chicks, and a pile of gold coins scattered on the ground. The background includes many more treasure items, including more bars of gold, red coral, and some mystery urns. More auspicious symbols, pine, plum, and bamboo, Mount Fuji, and the rising sun, complete the scene.

No biographical details, but the artist Mori Seikaku specialises in animal and flower scroll paintings. He signs his work the traditional way, with the characters for his given (brush) name, Seikaku (lit. 'nest of the crane') and a seal of the same.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued December 2020
An Epoch puzzle: 1500 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E15081 (15-081 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

More puzzles like this one

© Mori Seikaku

Year of the Dog (Seikaku)

A proud dog family is surrounded by auspicious symbols, from Mount Fuji in the background to the piles and piles of treasure.

No biographical details, but the artist Mori Seikaku specialises in animal and flower scroll paintings. He signs his work the traditional way, with the characters for his given (brush) name, Seikaku (lit. 'nest of the crane') and a seal of the same.

This puzzle has smaller pieces than the standard size.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued March 2020
An Epoch puzzle: 1500 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E15082 (15-082 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

More puzzles like this one

© Row.V.Ogasawara

Playful puppies (Ogasawara)

Puppies play among spring flowers, as butterflies and a bluebird look on, while Mount Fuji looms in the distance. There are five of them - generally an auspicious number.

Few biographical details are available, but Ogasawara has worked as a background artist for anime production, and specialises in animal portraits. Her acclaimed painting of a pair of white tigers has also featured on a jigsaw puzzle.

Mystery... The three puzzles we have (as of April 2006) all have different copyright declarations: her name written in Japanese, "Row.E.Ogasawara" and "Row. V. Ogasawara" - the pictures in these latter two cases include a signature "Row." which might be a nickname. She writes her given name, Etsuko, with the old form of hiragana 'e', so it might also be rendered as 'Yetsuko', though this hardly explains the 'V'.

Permanently unavailable
An Appleone puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: A10466 (1000-466 on package)
Retail price ¥3600

More puzzles like this one

© Row.V.Ogasawara

White rats, symbol of treasure (Ogasawara)

White rats dance over their wagonload of treasure - a wondrous cornucopia, chests (of gold?), red coral, a lucky mallet, and more...

Few biographical details are available, but Ogasawara has worked as a background artist for anime production, and specialises in animal portraits. Her acclaimed painting of a pair of white tigers has also featured on a jigsaw puzzle.

Mystery... The three puzzles we have (as of April 2006) all have different copyright declarations: her name written in Japanese, "Row.E.Ogasawara" and "Row. V. Ogasawara" - the pictures in these latter two cases include a signature "Row." which might be a nickname. She writes her given name, Etsuko, with the old form of hiragana 'e', so it might also be rendered as 'Yetsuko', though this hardly explains the 'V'.

Permanently unavailable
An Appleone puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: A10605 (1000-605 on package)
Retail price ¥3600

More puzzles like this one

© Ryusi

Cherry dragon (Ryusi)

A very bright and cheerful green dragon appears to be riding between the "waves" of cherry blossom. Though vivid in colour, the dragon has all the classic characteristics: the clenched ball, and a fierce countenance.

Born in 1968 in Oita as Ogawa Ryuji, the artist became a pupil of Ozuma Kaname, and in addition to a successful exhibiting career, has produced illustrations for CD and book jackets. His brush name Ryusi, literally "Dragon-determination", is a variant of his real name, written with the same 'dragon' character — and he has become something of a dragon specialist. Note that the pronunciation is more usually represented in Hepburn romanisation as "Ryushi".

Permanently unavailable
An Appleone puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: A10631 (1000-631 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

More puzzles like this one

© Row. V. Ogasawara

Auspicious white tigers (Ogasawara)

The white tiger and her two cubs rest in a typically colourful Ogasawara setting — this includes the emblematic pine-plum-and-bamboo, and the setting red sun.

A hint on why the sun is red

Few biographical details are available, but Ogasawara has worked as a background artist for anime production, and specialises in animal portraits. Her acclaimed painting of a pair of white tigers has also featured on a jigsaw puzzle.

Mystery... The three puzzles we have (as of April 2006) all have different copyright declarations: her name written in Japanese, "Row.E.Ogasawara" and "Row. V. Ogasawara" - the pictures in these latter two cases include a signature "Row." which might be a nickname. She writes her given name, Etsuko, with the old form of hiragana 'e', so it might also be rendered as 'Yetsuko', though this hardly explains the 'V'.

Permanently unavailable
An Appleone puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: A10641 (1000-641 on package)
Retail price ¥3600

More puzzles like this one

© Izumi Kazumi / Art Box International

Lucky rabbits (Kazumi)

A mother rabbit in an idyllic setting with her two babies. The surroundings include the auspicious pine-bamboo-plum combination, but also irises and other flowers.

Izumi Kazumi is an animal artist who graduated from Osaka University fine arts department in 1984. Izumi is her family name.

Permanently unavailable
An Appleone puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: A10658 (1000-658 on package)
Retail price ¥3600

More puzzles like this one

© Izumi Kazumi

Longmen Gorge (Kazumi)

A rather jolly illustration of the origin of dragons. We see three carp, one making the giant leap up a waterfall, where success means becoming a real fiery dragon just as we see at the top. The origin of this story is supposed to be a gorge on the Yellow Rive in China, but here the artist has given us somewhat fanciful topography, as the river wends its way down the ridge of a mountain.

There is plenty of variation in this puzzle: the bright azaleas and pine trees keep the background interesting, and particularly the dragon is a lively, finely drawn creature.

Izumi Kazumi is an animal artist who graduated from Osaka University fine arts department in 1984. Izumi is her family name.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued November 2018
An Appleone puzzle: 1000 pieces; 500 x 750 mm (20" x 30")
Code: A10675 (1000-675 on package)
Retail price ¥3600

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© Izumi Kazumi

Gold and silver snakes (Kazumi)

Benzaiten, goddess of eloquence, sits with her traditional biwa (a Japanese lute), evidently charming the golden snake in front of her and the silver one wrapped around the pine tree behind here. The pile of treasure beside her testifies to the worldly wealth promised here, and various other auspicious items complete the scene.

Wikipedia article on Benzaiten

Izumi Kazumi is an animal artist who graduated from Osaka University fine arts department in 1984. Izumi is her family name.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued March 2020
An Appleone puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: A10691 (1000-691 on package)
Retail price ¥3600

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© Izumi Kazumi

Good luck! (Kazumi)

Kannon sits on a lotus blossom observing this peaceful scene: the white horse has emerged from the golden gourd as if from Aladdin's lamp. The picture is full of symbols of riches, and not one horse, but nine in total — the uma-ku iku in the original title is written "horse-nine go", but is an auspicious pun on the ordinary word umaku, meaning "(go) well".

Izumi Kazumi is an animal artist who graduated from Osaka University fine arts department in 1984. Izumi is her family name.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued July 2019
An Appleone puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: A10754 (1000-754 on package)
Retail price ¥3600

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© Izumi Kazumi

Year of the monkey (Kazumi)

The full title of this puzzle is "Difficulties overcome, and problems removed", an elaborate pun, in which the first part matches the name of the plant nandina with the bright red berries, and the second part matches "nine monkeys". And those are what we see in the picture, along with all the usual auspicious signs, from Mount Fuji to the rope-encircled rock.

Izumi Kazumi is an animal artist who graduated from Osaka University fine arts department in 1984. Izumi is her family name.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued February 2021
An Appleone puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: A10772 (1000-772 on package)
Retail price ¥3600

More puzzles like this one

© Tanabe Zigen

Between a tiger and a dragon (Zigen)

A monkey dangles precariously from a gnarled tree projecting over the abyss - from above a tiger threatens, below awaits a dragon.

And the meaning of this terrible dilemma? Why, another pun: the Japanese for monkey is saru, which is also a verb meaning "to go away" or "disappear." So the title, literally "great difficulties monkey" also means the auspicious "great difficulties disappear"!

The artist was born in Toyama in 1970, and specialises in showy images, in his own reinterpretation of traditional Japanese themes.

Tanabe is his family name; he signs his paintings with his given name Zigen. Note that the usual Romanisation of this would be "Jigen", but it seems that Zigen may be the artist's own preference.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued November 2019
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 490 x 720 mm (19" x 28")
Code: B61393 (61-393 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

More puzzles like this one

© Tanabe Zigen

Between a tiger and a dragon (Zigen)

A monkey dangles precariously from a gnarled tree projecting over the abyss - from above a tiger threatens, below awaits a dragon.

And the meaning of this terrible dilemma? Why, another pun: the Japanese for monkey is saru, which is also a verb meaning "to go away" or "disappear." So the title, literally "great difficulties monkey" also means the auspicious "great difficulties disappear"!

The artist was born in Toyama in 1970, and specialises in showy images, in his own reinterpretation of traditional Japanese themes.

Tanabe is his family name; he signs his paintings with his given name Zigen. Note that the usual Romanisation of this would be "Jigen", but it seems that Zigen may be the artist's own preference.

This puzzle has a metallic foil finish.

Permanently unavailable
A Beverly puzzle: 1000 pieces; 490 x 720 mm (19" x 28")
Code: B91095 (91-095 on package)
Retail price ¥3600

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© Sugiyama Kasen

Good luck monkeys (Kasen)

Five rather playful monkeys in a cherry tree carry the usual "Good luck" significance, and they are surrounded by other auspicious elements: in the lower left corner Shouchikubai, the trio of pine, bamboo, and plum, represent longevity, wealth, and an abundance of progeny; and in the background carp battling gravity to climb the waterfall represent "coming up in the world." Even the plants in the foreground have special significance: the little yellow flowers are called "fukujusô", or "fortune flower" (scientific name Adonis amurensis), and Nandina domestica, the plant with the red berries, is called "nanten", a pun on "overcoming difficulties."

The artist Sugiyama Kasen signs his paintings with his given name, Kasen, as is the tradition. No information about him is available, except that he was born in Gifu.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E11101 (11-101 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

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© Shimada Kôhô

Year of the rooster (Koho)

An auspicious picture for the Year of the Cockerel. All the usual good-luck elements are here: Mount Fuji, shô-chiku-bai (pine, plum, and bamboo), and cherry blossom. The cock stands proud, with his enormous long tail, while the faithful hen broods over their three chicks.

The artist Shimada Kôhô was born in 1952, in Gifu, and specialises in painting birds in the traditional style.

He signs and seals his paintings with his given name, Kôhô only.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E11129 (11-129 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

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© Shimada Kôhô

The Year of the Dog (Koho)

A mother with three playful puppies. As befits their place in the twelve-year cycle, the surroundings are full of auspicious flowers: camellias, ume plum blossom, nanten, and more.

The artist Shimada Kôhô was born in 1952, in Gifu, and specialises in painting birds in the traditional style.

He signs and seals his paintings with his given name, Kôhô only.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E11161 (11-161 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

More puzzles like this one

© Mori Seikaku

Year of the Boar (Seikaku)

A family of wild boar grouped contentedly, and surrounded by all the usual symbols of good fortune, and of course Mount Fuji towering in the distance.

No biographical details, but the artist Mori Seikaku specialises in animal and flower scroll paintings. He signs his work the traditional way, with the characters for his given (brush) name, Seikaku (lit. 'nest of the crane') and a seal of the same.

Permanently unavailable
An Epoch puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: E11184 (11-184 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

More puzzles like this one

© Ozuma Kaname

Dog family with Kishimojin (Kaname)

The dog has long been taken as a symbol of easy childbirth, and here the litter of puppies (six in all) sit with their mother at the foot of Kishimojin. This latter has an interesting story - her name is literally "Devil-child-mother-god", and she started out as an evil character, whose favourite activity was eating other people's babies. But she was persuaded by Shaka-sama (the historical Buddha) to reform, and became a protector of children and augurer of easy childbirth.

More on Kishimojin at Mark Schumacher's Buddhist Corner

The painter Ozuma Kaname was born in 1939, in Niigata. He studied traditional Japanese art, and his pictures are generally based on traditional themes.

Ozuma is his family name: he signs paintings with the single character of his given name only.

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued March 2023
A Yanoman puzzle: 1000 pieces; 500 x 750 mm (20" x 30")
Code: Y101296 (10-1296 on package)
Retail price ¥3000

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© Youseki Miki

Year of the horse (Youseki)

Nine jolly horses, some with riders, one from the nursery, gallop past Mount Fuji. There have to be nine, because this makes everything uma- (horse) ku (nine) iku (go), that is "go well".

Born in Kyushu in 1966, Youseki Miki studied calligraphy, and after graduating from university embarked on a career as a commercial designer. He has developed a distinctive style of illustrated calligraphy with a contemporary, jovial touch. He writes his adopted brush name Youseki with nonstandard romanisation, to be read as the English word "you" plus "seki". (Miki is his family name, and his real name is Izuru.)

Permanently unavailable
Discontinued December 2019
A Beverly puzzle: 300 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: B63263 (63-263 on package)
Retail price ¥1400

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