Update!

(15 August) The database should now be fixed, so there are no more stray funny characters... but there may still be glitches. I just discovered that all of the Peanuts puzzles had disappeared, because "artist=peanuts" was not matching "Peanuts"; so there is more to do in sorting out case-insensitive matching.

Database problem!

Apologies! A recent database upgrade has left lots of Japanese text corrupted, and also some variant characters, such as the e-acute in "Pokémon," not showing correctly. I am working to correct this but may take some days...

申し訳ありません 現在、データーベースの問題でほとんどのパズルの詳細などの日本語が文字化けになっています。修復するまで何日かかかるかも知れません。ご了承ください。

Jigsaw puzzles from Japan

Paintings by Ozuma Kaname

Further down this page: About the artist

Kaname paints a wide range of traditional subjects, from kimono beauties to Buddhist deities, tigers, dragons, and other animals. (Note: The translations of titles are mine.)

1000 pieces

Dragon vs. tiger

The tiger, symbol of fire, and the dragon, symbol of water, are often portrayed as adversaries, representing the heaven-earth or ying-yang dichotomy.

Note that the tiger is quite naturalistic, whereas the dragon is an entirely mythical beast, and more like a snake with legs and horns than the giant lizard form of Western dragon.

This puzzle is also available in 2000 pieces (code A20047).

In stock
An Appleone puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: A10311 (1000-311 on package)
Retail price ¥3000 (approx. US$20.27 €18.75 £15.71)

All about ordering (please read first)

Four gods

In Chinese mythology these four gods occupy the four corners of the cosmos: the white tiger in the west, the blue dragon in the east, the red phoenix (Suzaku) in the south, and the mysterious Genbu in the north. Mysterious, because Genbu apparently turns up as a snake and a turtle entwined together, which is why there are five heads in the picture. These deities are associated with feng shui, and have also appeared in Japanese animations, so they are easy to find on the Web.

In stock
An Appleone puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: A10764 (1000-764 on package)
Retail price ¥3200 (approx. US$21.62 €20.00 £16.75)

All about ordering (please read first)

Tiger vs. Dragon

The classic duo from the four protector gods: the tiger quite naturalistic, but the dragon a fantastic scaly snake-like body with fierce fangs, talons, and horns.

In stock
A Yanoman puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: Y101311 (10-1311 on package)
Retail price ¥3200 (approx. US$21.62 €20.00 £16.75)

All about ordering (please read first)

Owl family

An owl family by moonlight. Owls are traditionally seen as symbols of wisdom, and here the mother display her care for the chicks.

In stock
A Yanoman puzzle: 1000 pieces; 750 x 500 mm (30" x 20")
Code: Y101312 (10-1312 on package)
Retail price ¥3200 (approx. US$21.62 €20.00 £16.75)

All about ordering (please read first)

300 pieces

Owl

Perhaps universally revered as wise (though I wonder if it's just the Harry Potter spectacles?), the owl is here portrayed as a harbinger of good fortune.

The title - word play

luck

come

male

Instead of writing fukurô, "owl", in the normal way, the Japanese title of the painting consists of the somewhat contrived sequence of Chinese characters shown on the left.

In stock
An Appleone puzzle: 300 pieces; 380 x 260 mm (15" x 10")
Code: A03170 (300-170 on package)
Retail price ¥1500 (approx. US$10.14 €9.38 £7.85)

All about ordering (please read first)

Ozuma Kaname

Signed Kaname with full-name seal

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.

No longer available: for reference, you can view all the Kaname puzzles that have been deleted in the Attic