The year begins with pine — a symbol of longevity, resilience, and good fortune in Japan. Pine trees stay green through winter, which is why they represent endurance.

Bright: Crane and Sun. The most iconic card in the deck. A red-crowned crane stands under a rising sun with a pine tree. This card is part of the Five Brights and Three Brights yaku — the highest-scoring combinations in Koi-Koi.

Ribbon: Red Poetry Ribbon. One of three poetry ribbons that form the Poetry Ribbons yaku (5 points). The writing reads "あかよろし" (akayoroshi) — roughly "red is good," signaling this is a valuable card.

Plain cards (×2). Pine branches with sparse needles. Worth 1 point each as chaff.

Fun fact: Nintendo was founded in Kyoto in 1889 specifically to manufacture Hanafuda cards. The pine crane was one of the first cards Fusajiro Yamauchi's craftsmen hand-painted.

Plum blossoms are the first flowers to bloom in late winter — often while snow is still on the ground. They symbolize perseverance and the arrival of spring.

Animal: Bush Warbler (Uguisu). A small green bird perched on a plum branch. In Japanese poetry, the bush warbler's song is the definitive sound of early spring. This card contributes to the Animals yaku.

Ribbon: Red Poetry Ribbon. The second of the three poetry ribbons. Also reads "あかよろし." Together with January and March poetry ribbons, it forms Poetry Ribbons for 5 points.

Plain cards (×2). Bare plum branches with delicate blossoms.

Cherry blossoms are Japan's most celebrated flower. Hanami (花見) — cherry blossom viewing — is a national tradition, and the sakura season is tracked obsessively across the country every spring.

Bright: Cherry Blossom Curtain. A striped curtain (maku) hung among cherry trees — the kind used during outdoor hanami parties. This card appears in the Five Brights, Four Brights, and Three Brights yaku. It also pairs with the September Sake Cup to form Cherry Blossom Viewing (花見で一杯) — 5 points.

Ribbon: Red Poetry Ribbon. The third and final poetry ribbon, reading "みよしの" (Miyoshino) — the name of a famous cherry blossom viewing spot in Nara. Completes the Poetry Ribbons yaku.

Plain cards (×2). Falling cherry petals on pale branches.

Wisteria cascades in purple clusters from garden pergolas in April and May. The flowers signal the transition from spring to early summer.

Animal: Cuckoo (Hototogisu). A small bird in flight against a red crescent moon — a classic composition from Japanese bird-and-flower paintings (花鳥画). The cuckoo calls at night, and in Japanese poetry, hearing its cry is associated with longing and the passage of time.

Ribbon: Purple Ribbon. A plain purple ribbon without writing. Does not count toward Poetry Ribbons; it can still contribute to generic Ribbon scoring.

Plain cards (×2). Drooping wisteria clusters.

Irises bloom along rivers and marshes in May. They're associated with Boys' Day (now Children's Day, May 5), when iris leaves are traditionally placed in baths to ward off evil spirits. The word for iris (菖蒲 / shōbu) is a homophone for "martial spirit" (尚武), giving the plant a warrior association.

Animal: Eight-Plank Bridge (Yatsuhashi). A wooden bridge over an iris pond — a reference to the famous scene from the 10th-century poem collection Ise Monogatari. This is one of the few Hanafuda cards that depicts a man-made structure rather than an animal.

Ribbon: Purple Ribbon. Another plain purple ribbon.

Plain cards (×2). Iris flowers growing beside water.

The peony is originally a Chinese flower that became deeply embedded in Japanese art and gardens. It symbolizes wealth, good fortune, and prosperity. Its large, lush blooms attract butterflies — which is why this suit's animal card features one.

Animal: Butterfly. One of the three cards in Ino-shika-cho (Boar, Deer, Butterfly) — the most iconic yaku in Koi-Koi, worth 5 points. If you see a butterfly card, start thinking about whether you can chase this combination.

Ribbon: Blue Ribbon. One of three blue ribbons that form Blue Ribbons (青短) — 5 points. The blue ribbons are June (Peony), September (Chrysanthemum), and October (Maple).

Plain cards (×2). Full peony blooms.

Bush clover is a wild shrub that blooms from summer into autumn across Japan's mountains and fields. It's one of the "Seven Grasses of Autumn" in Japanese tradition.

Animal: Boar (Inoshishi). A wild boar charging through bush clover. Boars are said to sleep in clover thickets. This card is part of Ino-shika-cho — the Boar, Deer, Butterfly yaku. The name comes from the first syllable of each animal: 猪(ino) 鹿(shika) 蝶(cho).

Ribbon: Plain Ribbon. A red ribbon without writing. Does not count toward Poetry Ribbons.

Plain cards (×2). Bush clover branches with small flowers.

August is one of the most important months in the deck because it contains the Full Moon card. Pampas grass (susuki) sways in the autumn wind, and the full moon rises above it — a scene associated with Tsukimi (月見), Japan's moon-viewing tradition.

Bright: Full Moon. A golden full moon against a red sky over pampas grass. Part of the Five Brights, Four Brights, and Three Brights yaku. Paired with the September Sake Cup, it forms Moon Viewing (月見で一杯) — 5 points.

Historical note: Hanafuda months originally corresponded to the old Japanese lunar calendar, not the Gregorian one. The 8th month of the lunar calendar falls in September or October — which is actually when Tsukimi is celebrated.

Animal: Wild Geese (Kari). Three geese flying across the sky. Migrating geese are a classic autumn motif in Japanese art.

Plain cards (×2). Pampas grass in the wind. August is unusual in that it has no ribbon card.

The chrysanthemum is the symbol of the Japanese Imperial family — the Imperial Seal is a 16-petal chrysanthemum. September's chrysanthemum festival (重陽の節句) celebrates longevity.

Animal: Sake Cup. A small cup with the character 寿 (kotobuki — "congratulations") written on it, resting among chrysanthemum flowers. This is the most versatile card in many rule sets — it pairs with both the Moon (August Bright) for Moon Viewing and the Curtain (March Bright) for Cherry Blossom Viewing. Some rules also count it as both an Animal and a Plain card.

Ribbon: Blue Ribbon. The second blue ribbon, contributing to Blue Ribbons.

Plain cards (×2). Chrysanthemum blooms.

Maple leaves turning red in autumn (紅葉狩り — momijigari, "maple hunting") is as culturally significant in Japan as cherry blossom viewing in spring. The vibrant reds and oranges of October are deeply tied to Japanese aesthetics.

Animal: Deer. A deer standing under maple branches, looking back over its shoulder — a classic pose from Japanese art. The third card in Ino-shika-cho. The deer's backward glance is a famous visual motif.

Ribbon: Blue Ribbon. The third and final blue ribbon. With June and September, it completes Blue Ribbons for 5 points.

Plain cards (×2). Red and yellow maple leaves.

November is the strangest month in the deck. While all other suits follow a consistent pattern, November has its own structure and contains some of the most unusual cards in Hanafuda.

Bright: Rain Man (小野道風 / Ono no Michikaze). A man holding an umbrella in the rain beside a willow tree. This is the historical calligrapher Ono no Michikaze, who was supposedly inspired to persevere by watching a frog leap repeatedly at a willow branch. The "rain" association is why this card is sometimes excluded from Bright yaku — the Rainy Four Brights (7 points) is worth less than Four Brights without Rain (8 points).

Animal: Swallow. A small bird flying through a thunderstorm — red sky, driving rain. Swallows are believed to fly low before storms.

Ribbon: Plain Ribbon. A red ribbon. November's ribbon is sometimes excluded from Ribbon yaku in certain rule sets.

Plain: Lightning Storm. This is the only Plain card with a dramatic scene — red sky, black clouds, willow branches whipping in the wind. In some rule sets, this card acts as a wild card.

Paulownia is the tree of the Japanese government — the imperial crest of the Prime Minister's office features paulownia flowers. It's fast-growing and was traditionally planted when a daughter was born, then harvested to make furniture for her wedding.

Bright: Chinese Phoenix (鳳凰 / Hōō). A mythical phoenix perched on a paulownia tree. The phoenix and paulownia together are a symbol of imperial authority. This card completes the Five Brights — the highest-scoring yaku in Koi-Koi (10–15 points depending on rules).

Plain cards (×3). December is unique — it has three Plain cards and no Ribbon or Animal. One of the three plains has a yellow/gold background and sometimes shows the manufacturer's brand name. In some rule sets, this yellow plain counts as an extra card for specific yaku.