Zodiac Postcard - Dragon

This postcard is an original design from Shin Kōgei featuring one of the 12 zodiac animals, the ox. Japan follows a 12-year astrological cycle, where each year is represented by a different animal, whose attributes are sometimes said to be inherited by the individuals born in that particular year. The design resembles a woodblock print, where each of the colours is printed onto paper using individual woodblocks, a method in widespread use in Japanese popular culture during the Edo period (1603-1868 CE).

Chūbu

The central Chūbu region is predominantly mountainous, home to the rugged Japan Alps with coasts on both the Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean. The region's history has been shaped by its strategic position between the great cities of Kyoto and Tokyo with Nagoya at its heart. Niigata lies to the north while Mt Fuji can be found in the south in Shizuoka Prefecture.