Traditional Japanese house and mythological decorations

Since the oldest times, the Japanese popular tradition inspired numerous auspicious symbols to be used in art and architecture. Thus, it is common to find almost everywhere symbols of lucky charms, bringing good luck and prosperity, or symbols of healthy and long life.

A charming example is this fusuma panel decorated with cranes (tsuru in Japanese), photographed in the elegant Chōfu Mori Residence. The crane is traditionally considered to live a thousand years, so it is used as a symbol of longevity...