Ukiyoe Tarot

Japanese artist Koji Furuta has drawn on the Ukiyo-e tradition, the art of the floating world, to create a tarot that places familiar archetypes within scenes of classical Japanese life. The genre has deep roots in Buddhist ideas about the transience and beauty of the physical world, which gives the imagery a philosophical undertone that suits the reflective nature of tarot well.

The Major Arcana recast standard figures through a specifically Japanese lens, a Kabuki actor as the Magician, a Buddhist monk as the Hierophant. The Minor Arcana use ancient Japanese symbols in place of the usual suits, including traditional swords, ceremonial scepters, lacquered bowls for cups, and Edo-era coins. All 78 cards are numbered and titled in both English and Japanese.