Japanese Customs and Traditions

2012, the Year of the Dragon

Dec 27, 2011 | 47 feedbacks »

Like in the previous years, yesterday at the Tsutenkaku Tower from Osaka took place the 56th annual “zodiac sign replacement“, an event where the animals representing the Chinese zodiac signs of the old and new year play their part in a ceremony symbolizing the passing of responsibility.

During the last years the selection of animals was simple (from the Ox to the Tiger for 2010 and from the Tiger to the Rabbit in 2011), but 2012 is the Year of the Dragon… so the Year 2012 was represented yesterday by… the Seahorse, in Japanese タツノオトシゴ.

More specifically, for 2012 the associated animal is the Dragon, but the associated element is the Water, so even if the full explanation is a lot more complicated, the selection of the Seahorse makes sense for the Year of the Water Dragon…

Anyway, here’s the ceremony, equally as cute as those from the previous years:

The Year of the Dragon is traditionally associated with several countries: Bulgaria, China, Denmark, Iran, Italy, Japan, Micronesia, United Kingdom and Vietnam.

Also, according to Chinese astrology, the associated color for the water is black, so 2012 is the Year of the Black Water Dragon - and you probably noticed that the little seahorses are black… However, the seahorse is one of the animals that can change their color, so maybe that was just a coincidence… But talking about color, the Dragon is considered having a mysterious color, so it is considered unpredictable. Hence, according to the astrology, we may see something unexpected in 2012 - although we saw a lot of unexpected in 2011, too…
So, what the astrology tells us? That the next year will be… unpredictable. (^_^)
Let’s just hope it will be better that 2011!


 
 


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icon eileenludwig
tweeted:
2012, the Year of the Dragon [link] via @Muzachan
04/20/12 @ 18:53
 Robert J Banach Email · http://secondincomereview.com
Thank you for sharing this information, and wish you an unpredictably good year.
01/23/12 @ 17:42
 zed power · http://socyberty.com/holidays/year-4710-happy-chinese-lunar-new-year-2012-gong-hei-fat-choy/
The rabbit looks drugged
01/21/12 @ 05:20
icon Irihaano
tweeted:
2012, the Year of the Dragon [link] via @Muzachan
01/13/12 @ 20:54
icon angelacorrias
tweeted:
2012, the Year of the Dragon [link] via @Muzachan
01/07/12 @ 15:14
icon Mao_Rie
tweeted:
RT @Muzachan: Osaka zodiac sign replacement: 2012, the Year of the Dragon [link]
01/04/12 @ 09:10
icon JJLuke77
tweeted:
2012, the Year of the Dragon [link] via @Muzachan Italy's Black Water Dragon! HELL YEAH!!!! :D
01/01/12 @ 12:38
icon NomadicSamuel
tweeted:
2012, the Year of the Dragon [link] via @Muzachan
12/31/11 @ 09:43
icon purplehayz
tweeted:
2012, the year of the Dragon (#Japan video) [link]
12/31/11 @ 01:52
icon FrostedFlake34
tweeted:
Rt @Travelwriticus: RT @Muzachan: 2012, the Year of the Dragon [link]
12/30/11 @ 16:07
icon cumtudu
tweeted:
RT @Travelwriticus: RT @Muzachan: 2012, the Year of the Dragon [link]
12/30/11 @ 13:58
icon 808armada
tweeted:
RT @Muzachan: 2012, the Year of the Dragon [link]
12/30/11 @ 10:45
icon Travelwriticus
tweeted:
RT @Muzachan: 2012, the Year of the Dragon [link]
12/30/11 @ 07:15
icon BeersandBeans
tweeted:
2012, the Year of the Dragon [link] via @Muzachan
12/30/11 @ 04:37
icon TraveloCafe
tweeted:
2012, the Year of the Dragon [link] via @Muzachan
12/29/11 @ 23:34
icon ItalianNotes
tweeted:
2012, the Year of the Dragon [link] via @Muzachan
12/29/11 @ 10:59
 John Asano
on-Google+:
Year of the Water Dragon - sounds so cool! Hope 2012 is a great year :)
12/29/11 @ 05:29
icon ilmariel
tweeted:
RT @Muzachan: Osaka zodiac sign replacement: 2012, the Year of the Dragon [link]
12/28/11 @ 19:22
 Abby · http://thejungleprincess.com
Anything is better than 2011! I feel like I barely survived. I love reading about astrology -- bring it on! My birthday year is the next one, snake.
12/28/11 @ 18:35
icon ninoue8
tweeted:
Seahorse?cute!!hehe..yeayy nx yer is my yr!! 2012, the Year of the Dragon [link]
12/28/11 @ 17:33
icon persephinae
tweeted:
RT @Muzachan: Osaka zodiac sign replacement: 2012, the Year of the Dragon [link]
12/28/11 @ 16:41
icon TheMarke
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RT @Muzachan: Osaka zodiac sign replacement: 2012, the Year of the Dragon [link]
12/28/11 @ 16:05
icon bigmax722
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RT @Muzachan: Osaka zodiac sign replacement: 2012, the Year of the Dragon [link]
12/28/11 @ 16:04
icon Yuriusu
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RT @Muzachan: Osaka zodiac sign replacement: 2012, the Year of the Dragon [link]
12/28/11 @ 16:02
icon nispell
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2012, the Year of the Dragon [link] via @Muzachan
12/28/11 @ 14:18
icon risovic
tweeted:
RT @Muzachan: 2012, the Year of the Dragon [link]
12/28/11 @ 13:02
icon Animematt
tweeted:
2012, the Year of the Dragon [link]
12/28/11 @ 11:05
icon kun_san
tweeted:
RT @Muzachan: 2012, the Year of the Dragon [link]
12/28/11 @ 10:14
icon nightrazer
tweeted:
RT @Locohama: 2012, the Year of the Dragon [link] (via @summify from @UnsinkableJapan, and @Toshogu) @muzachan
12/28/11 @ 07:40
icon Locohama
tweeted:
2012, the Year of the Dragon [link] (via @summify from @UnsinkableJapan, and @Toshogu) @muzachan
12/28/11 @ 07:22
 Japan Australia · http://japan-australia.blogspot.com/
Year of the Black Water Dragon! So Cool!!
12/28/11 @ 06:38
icon DragnDon
tweeted:
RT @Toshogu: 2012, the Year of the Dragon [link]
12/28/11 @ 05:31
icon japanobserver
tweeted:
2012, the Year of the Dragon [link]
12/28/11 @ 03:56
 David @ Ogijima · http://ogijima.com
It's kinda amusing when astrology predicts an unpredictable year... As opposed to other years that are always totally carefully planned and everything always go to plan. ;-)

Apart from that thanks for the seahorse explanation, a couple of days ago I saw a kid drawing a sea horse on her 2012 New year Card and I was a bit confused. I thought she just liked seahorses. Yet that doesn't explain why this other kid drew penguins.
12/28/11 @ 03:18
icon dbskalwaysLDYF
tweeted:
RT @Muzachan: 2012, the Year of the Dragon [link]
12/28/11 @ 03:15
icon radixextreme
tweeted:
Japan News: 2012, the Year of the Dragon: Like in the previous years, yesterday at the Tsutenkaku Tower from Osa... [link]
12/28/11 @ 02:56
icon champagne_joy
tweeted:
RT @UnsinkableJapan: RT @muzachan: 2012, the Year of the Dragon [link] #Japan #zodiac
12/28/11 @ 02:35
icon moppelkotzer
tweeted:
"2012, the Year of the Black Water Dragon" [link]
12/28/11 @ 02:00
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RT @Muzachan: 2012, the Year of the Dragon [link]
12/27/11 @ 23:49
icon BlogLinkJapan
tweeted:
2012, the Year of the Dragon: [link] #JBlogs
12/27/11 @ 23:05
icon Toshogu
tweeted:
2012, the Year of the Dragon [link]
12/27/11 @ 22:48
icon yaadayaada
tweeted:
2012 will be even more unpredictable? Worried. RT @muzachan: 2012, the Year of the Dragon [link]
12/27/11 @ 22:42
icon b3nk3nobi
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2012, the Year of the Dragon [link] via @Muzachan
12/27/11 @ 22:21
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RT @Muzachan: 2012, the Year of the Dragon [link]
12/27/11 @ 22:09
icon MikuKikuko
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[Muza-chan] 2012, the Year of the Dragon [link] /via @muzachan
12/27/11 @ 22:08
icon JasonAndAracely
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2012, the Year of the Dragon: Like in the previous years, yesterday at the Tsutenkaku Tower from O... [link] via @Muzachan
12/27/11 @ 22:08
icon UnsinkableJapan
tweeted:
RT @muzachan: 2012, the Year of the Dragon [link] #Japan #zodiac
12/27/11 @ 22:06