My own ideas for divination with Hanafuda Cards

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There actually exists a book on how to use Hanafuda cards in divination, but unfortunetly it's not available translated into English so I can't read if unless I were to learn Japanese...

I've also seen a few blogs and youtube videos where people came up with their own interpretation of these flower cards. Each person had their own rules on how to read cards.

So I got the idea to maybe come up with my own method? And the key to any form of divination is to always be consistent with what the cards are trying to tell you.

So here are my ideas. What do you guys think?


Flowers as themes

Animals/Objects as actual people

Ribbons as thoughts and messages

The Storm Card as the "bad omen"

For flowers:

Pine Trees: Strength, endurance, and blessings of divine luck. Daytime.

Plum Blossoms: The arrival of good news during bad times. The silver lining

Cherry Blossoms: Something sweet and precious, something fragile, being in the moment because "nothing lasts forever". Also parties and celebrations.

Wisteria: Lies and deception. Mystery. Decietfulness. Surprises.

Iris: Strength and courage. A time for bravery. Battles. War and conquest.

Peony: Travel, foreign lands and distant cities, new experiences.

Bush Clover: Laziness, idleness, relaxation, taking a nap, vacation time

Silver Grass: The home, domestic affairs, family time, nighttime.

Chrysanthemum: Funerals, death, sadness, loss, mourning.

Maple Leaves: Depression, Collapse, Stress, a heavy burden to bare.

Willow Trees: Hauntings, spirits, negative influences, things from the past, caution.

Empress Tree: Gift-giving, Weddings, Baby Showers, Social Events.

For Animals & Objects:

Rising Sun with Crane: A very important person. A leader. The family Patriarch or a Matriarch.

Nightingale: A messenger or gossiper.

Tent Curtain: A sexually appealing man or woman. A lover or a casual fling.

Mockingbird: An untrustworthy person. A thief or liar who doesnt have your best interest at heart.

Wooden Bridge: A foreigner.

Butterflies: A child or children.

Wild Boar: A brave indivual who seeks danger. Possibly a soldier or an officer

Flock of Geese: Closest relatives or best friends

The Moon: A pregnant mother or a newborn child

Sake Cup: An elderly man or woman

Deer: A timid person who avoids danger and confrontation.

Man holding an umbrella with a Frog: A teacher or a student.

Swallow: A surprise visitor.

Phoenix: A married man or woman.

For Ribbons:

Poetry Ribbons: Written letters or documents.

Red Ribbons and Blue Ribbons I'm still trying to figure out what they can mean...

And The Storm Card is the only truly "bad" card like The Tower or Ace of Spades. In Japan storms like typhoons and tsunamis are linked to destruction and death.

Here's a card reading I attempted just now about the health issues I've been having lately.



The cards laid around the bowl of herbs I mixed together (mugwort, mistletoe, rain water, olive oil, white vinegar, salt, dragon's blood ash, and some bodily fluids) revealed some rather disturbing stuff...


The Storm card at the very top is the worst card in the deck. Maybe my family is under a curse right now? We've had a LOT of misfortune lately. My mom being sick, my messed up back and diabetes, a dear friend of mine having health issues, and my mom is in a lot of debt right now. Plus other really bad things...

The Deer I figure represents myself. I lack the courage and willpower to confront my past mistakes and make better choices. I've made the choice to ignore the risks that come with diabetes and will wind up paying for it...

The Sake Cup represents the people I caew for who are much older than me and are also having major health issues (like my mom).

The Iris is about battling my health issues instead of letting them beat me .

And the blue ribbon tied to the maple leaves could mean that I'm wishing to get better and for the people I care for to get better, but I'm being blocked by having too much falling on me mentally....

Those are all very good ideas.

I like it. It looks like a bowl of curry

Don't eat it.


But I'm glad you guys like my ideas. I'm going to try and be consistent with this when I do Hanafuda card readings.

I'm starting to rethink some of the meanings I applied to these cards...

For example maybe "child" isn't the best way to describe The Butterflies? In both Eastern and Western symbolism butterflies are associated with the transformation of the human soul. Like the Goddess Psyche who went from being a mortal princess to a butterfly-winged goddess after enduring much hardship to be with her husband Eros the God of Love.

In Japan they are also symbolic of young girls who once they grow into maturity are ready to find a husband.

Perhaps the butterflies could be a person who achieves emotional maturity but these cards could also mean lovers?

Some artwork i like of Psyche and her husband Eros.







Some info on butterflies in Japanese cultural symbolism.

https://discover.hubpages.com/art/japan ... d_16279094