Hiroi Michiaki:   This is, um, “A karako (Chinese child) playing with butterflies.” A karakois… [literally] a Chinese child [a child dressed in a Chinese fashion], but in Japan they’re said to be the messengers of the God of Luck. The God of Luck orders them to go do something, “Go here, go there.” And when he requests many things, it is said that thiskarako goes about taking care of it. They’re good omens. This, if you spin it, the butterflies look like they’re fluttering and fluttering, flying about.

Paula Curtis:      Um, in ancient times there was also a “butterfly dance,” right?

HM: 　 Mm. Ahhhh [yes].

 PC: 　 From China.

HM: 　Yes, there is. They move around with the same feeling as that.

Janell Landis:     Looks like butterflies flying.

HM:       Yeah.

JL:           Uh huh.

HM:       If you spin it here a little, [it looks that way] because [the butterflies] clatter about.

JL:           Right.

HM: 　The butterflies look like they’re fluttering flying about. This is the “Chinese child (karako) playing with butterflies”…

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For Japanese, see this page.

For video, see this page.