Every autumn, Tatsumura Bijutsu Orimono produces and releases fabrics with new patterns for the following year’s Oriental zodiac signs. The new designs are delivered to customers in the form of Kimekomi dolls and mascot dolls of the Oriental zodiac, which are appreciated as lucky gifts, as well as accessories and sundries with fashionable and cute designs.

Oriental Zodiac Sign of the Year “Dragon” Kimekomi Doll

Patterns and products featuring the Chinese zodiac have long been popular as lucky charms to pray for good health and to ward off bad luck. It is said that displaying the zodiac sign of the year has the meaning of “safety in the home and prosperity in business,” and giving it to others has the meaning of “prayer for good fortune and peace and longevity.In this feature article, we will introduce the wishes behind the pattern of the new “dragon” pattern, the Chinese zodiac sign for the year 2024.

The Chinese zodiac sign for 2024 is “Dragon

The twelve Chinese zodiac signs used in the Chinese zodiac have a long history and are said to have been derived from the twelve Chinese characters used to indicate the calendar and directions from China in BC. The Chinese zodiac signs for the year 2024 are “dragon,” but only the dragon is fictitious. There are various theories as to why this is so, but the dragon has been a symbol of power and an auspicious creature in China since ancient times. It is also believed that when a dragon appears, it brings good luck, and that it can fulfill various wishes and guide people in their lives.

Chinese Zodiac Sign “Dragon”, Ko-bukusa Cloth

New pattern for the Chinese zodiac “Dragon

Tatsumura Bijutsu Orimono has produced two new patterns of the Chinese zodiac sign “dragon,” a symbol that brings happiness, for the year 2024.

・Zui-ryu Soshuu-mon(Liu Design in Embroidery)

This pattern was produced based on dragon embroidery, which is thought to have been made in the ancient Chinese country of “So. Dyed textiles of that period, which boasted a high level of technology and perfection, were characterized by their embroidery patterns, with dragons, flower branches, and vines patterned and drawn as geometric designs. The dragon, one of China’s most prized designs and an auspicious pattern symbolizing the prosperity of the court and marital bliss, is arranged and woven in a way that makes it stand out even more.

・Sarasa Un-ryu-mon(Design of Auspicious Clouds and Liu)

This pattern, on the other hand, is based on Japanese Sarasa, a fabric that came to be made in Japan during the Edo period (1603-1868). The dragon in the design is powerful and mysterious, but at the same time, it is designed in the shape of a circle, which is associated with the word “amicable,” and thus also expresses a sense of loveliness. The dragon is a being that rises to the heavens and brings blessed rain, and the clouds that bring the rain have also been respected as a sign of good fortune since ancient times. Based on this fact, the pattern is a weave of auspicious clouds that bring happiness together with dragons.

As a symbol of “inviting good fortune” for the New Year

Chinese zodiac “Dragon” mascot doll

The new pattern of the Chinese zodiac sign “dragon” is full of auspicious and lucky patterns. The design is filled with wishes to drive away the bad luck of the year and bring good fortune to those who hold it in their hands. This pattern is also ideal for those who wish to make the year 2024 the year of the dragon, a year in which they will be as fierce as the dragon and take on new challenges. We wish for your continued prosperity and hope that you will welcome the New Year with happiness in your hand with the new pattern.