The symbol of butterfly in Japanese culture
In Japanese culture, the butterfly is a very popular symbol having more
meanings: eternity, womanhood and love.
 Eternity
The meaning of eternity which represented by the butterfly is due to the popular
belief that spirits of the dead take the form of a butterfly on their journey to the
other world and eternal life. Or spirits of the dead are guided by butterflies to
the afterlife.
 Womanhood
The cycle of transformations through which a butterfly passes in his life, is often
associated with the transformations through which a girl passes on her way of
becoming a young woman. In Japanese culture, the butterfly is associated with
femininity, also, because of its grace and beauty.
 Love
In Japanese symbolism, the butterfly is a sign of good luck in love and finding your
soul mate. It is a symbol of a happy marriage, and is used as a decorative element
for weddings.
An old Chinese legend, adopted by most East Asian countries, tells the story of two
lovers who turn into butterflies after committing suicide together. This story is
often known as the Romeo and Juliet of Asia, and expresses the eternal love of
those two.
 The motif of butterfly on clothing
The motif of butterfly on yukatas and kimonos is very common because of its
meanings, especially on those worn by girls and young women.
Also there is the butterfly knot used to tie the women's obi.
 The butterfly in arts
Throughout history, the butterfly was a common motif on paintings, paper panels,
fans and more.
In the Edo period, the butterflies have been a very popular subject among ukiyo-e
artists, being painted by artists like Utagawa (Ando) Hiroshige, Kudo Shunman,
Yanagawa Shiganobu, Totoya Hokkei, Utagawa Toyokuni, Yanagawa Shigenobu, Kitao
Masayoshi, and Shirobe Fujie.
One of the most famous ukiyo-e paintings belongs Katsushika Hokusai, "Peonies and
Butterflies", whose fan was even Claude Monet.
 Samurai clans’ blazons
The butterfly was often used as a symbol for the blazons of the samurai clans. One
of the first clans who used butterfly was Taira clan, one of the most powerful
clans in the Heian period. This clan was one of the first and most powerful clans of
samurai in Japanese history.
 Origami
The butterfly is the first form of origami that was ever made, and it was inspired
by a poem by Ihara Saikaku in 1680, in which he describes a dream about paper
butterflies. Ihara describes two butterflies called Ocho and Mecho. Now there is a
tradition in which two paper butterflies are placed on sake bottles used at
weddings.
 Anime and Manga
In the modern culture of Japan, anime and manga plays an important role, and the
butterfly is present in both. In the anime series Bleach, butterflies are present as
the traditional form of guides for the spirits of the dead. In Sailor Moon, the
butterfly is the symbol of Princess Kakyuu. And in the manga Little Butterfly, it is
a symbol of freedom and hope for the two young lovers who want to escape to be
together.