banknote

Saddle of rose-round paper with decor of Daikoku, flaming jewels, trickery geometric pattern and on the other side a red stamp, arabesque and tacharamono, the 21 valuable things; see Edmunds 1934, p 607. Daikoku is a kind of protector or divinity of wealth, one of the seven gods of happiness, Shichi-fuku-jin; see Edmunds 1934, p 321. The geometric pattern appears to be a chalco-pattern, i.e. a hexagon, which is literally translated with turtle shell, extending the pattern a shine of turtle meanings, such as long life. The Kikko Pattern was associated with the hovaristocracy and the Izumo Shrine, one of the most sacred Shinto shrines. See Dower 1971, pp. 138-139 fig 2371-2400, especially similar to 2395.