Mainichi Hanafuda: phoenix

Behold the mighty phoenix, or, depending on which hanafuda page you read, possibly a chicken? Actually, it's not supposed to be either. A definitive source identifies this animal as the sacred Japanese hou-ou, a mythical bird said to appear in times of peace and holiness.

The Hou-ou/Phoenix/Chicken is not an animal card; it's the third "bright." Since it's a bright, then, I decided that it might as well be colorful! This card includes almost every color that I have used in the deck up to this point.

Paulownia suit: finished. There are only four to go, and the next suit is shaping up to be the best one yet--along with an animal card featuring a design that my close friends may have seen "in the flesh," so to speak.