A vintage Japanese tanzaku card, a slender vertical board traditionally used for poetry or seasonal messages, adorned here with a beautifully delicate painting of a Japanese white-eye bird (mejiro) perched on a plum blossom branch. The white-eye, with its soft green plumage and round form, is rendered with gentle brushstrokes that emphasize the bird's vitality and innocence.
The surrounding plum blossoms (ume) bloom in soft pinks and whites, signaling the early arrival of spring, a beloved motif in Japanese art symbolizing resilience, purity, and renewal. Together, the bird and blossoms create a harmonious scene that captures the spirit of seasonal transition, peace, and natural beauty.
Tanzaku (短冊) are traditional Japanese paper or card strips that are typically long and narrow. During this summer festival, people write wishes on colorful tanzaku and hang them on bamboo branches. Today, tanzaku are also popular as interior decorations, framed artworks, or seasonal displays in homes and temples.
