Usagi - Rabbit
USAGI RABBIT
These shy, but adorable creatures are symbols of good luck and selflessness. According to the Japanese, the craters and dark spots on the moon actually form an image of a rabbit who is pounding mochi (rice cakes). In the story “The Legend of the Moon Rabbit,” a rabbit, a fox, and a monkey were gathered under a full moon and resolved to practice virtue and do good deeds for the entire day to give thanks. In the evening a traveller came by and asked for food and, since the trio were resolved to perform good deeds, they offered to gather food for the traveller. The monkey gathered fruit from the trees while the fox pilfered various foods from other animals. The rabbit, however, had nothing but grass to offer, so it selflessly threw itself into a fire so that the traveller could eat its meat. The rabbit, however, was not harmed by the flames and the traveller revealed himself to be Taishakuten, the ruler of the sky. In recognition of the rabbit’s selflessness Taishakuten engraved the image of the rabbit onto the moon. Today, pounding of the mochi dough is usually done around the time of the harvest moon and mochi are eaten to celebrate the bountiful wealth of the year’s rice crop. The rabbit is also the fourth animal in the Chinese zodiac.
The rabbit patterned kimono featured here is a yukata; an informal, unlined, cotton kimono that is worn only during the summer. Yukata are mostly worn to and from the bathhouse and to attend street festivals.
Usagi - Rabbit
USAGI RABBIT
These shy, but adorable creatures are symbols of good luck and selflessness. According to the Japanese, the craters and dark spots on the moon actually form an image of a rabbit who is pounding mochi (rice cakes). In the story “The Legend of the Moon Rabbit,” a rabbit, a fox, and a monkey were gathered under a full moon and resolved to practice virtue and do good deeds for the entire day to give thanks. In the evening a traveller came by and asked for food and, since the trio were resolved to perform good deeds, they offered to gather food for the traveller. The monkey gathered fruit from the trees while the fox pilfered various foods from other animals. The rabbit, however, had nothing but grass to offer, so it selflessly threw itself into a fire so that the traveller could eat its meat. The rabbit, however, was not harmed by the flames and the traveller revealed himself to be Taishakuten, the ruler of the sky. In recognition of the rabbit’s selflessness Taishakuten engraved the image of the rabbit onto the moon. Today, pounding of the mochi dough is usually done around the time of the harvest moon and mochi are eaten to celebrate the bountiful wealth of the year’s rice crop. The rabbit is also the fourth animal in the Chinese zodiac.
The rabbit patterned kimono featured here is a yukata; an informal, unlined, cotton kimono that is worn only during the summer. Yukata are mostly worn to and from the bathhouse and to attend street festivals.