Botan Tarot 2nd Edition from creator Addi Miyako
"A beautiful 78-card tarot deck featuring lush and whimsical watercolor illustrations, inspired by Art Nouveau and Japanese folklore, finished with beautiful Japanese indigo edging.
“Botan” in Japanese means “peony”, which is the flower prominently featured on the back design of the tarot deck as well as on several cards. In Japanese flower language, peonies represent bravery. Botan is also a play on the word “botanical”, as I use Japanese flower language and other plant imagery throughout the deck.
Lastly, Botan is a tribute to the space and memory in which I painted this deck – there is an old-fashioned Japanese candy called Botan Rice Candy, which I remember my grandmother giving to me as a child. The deck was painted entirely in the dining room of my grandmother’s home, and the Minor Arcana specifically draws inspiration from the Japanese children’s stories that she used to read to me.
Within this deck, you will find both the 22-card Major Arcana (painted in 2017) and the 56-card Minor Arcana (painted in 2019). The Major Arcana is contemporary in design, with influences from Art Nouveau, Japanese flower language, and my family history. The Minor Arcana uses the same aesthetic, with folktale characters reimagined, symbolism in elements, plants, and animals, and cohesive color stories.
***There are a few key points where this edition will be different:
The Vessel - The box will now be book-style, with a soft layered watercolor effect in Japanese indigo (or “Botan Blue” as I like to call it!) and a cover design inspired by vintage Japanese candy packaging. Since it is no longer a drawer-style box, there will no longer be a ribbon. Within the box are icons representing the 4 kingdoms of the Suits of Swords, Wands, Coins, and Cups. The front of the box will note that this is a 2nd edition.
The Titles - Two of the card titles have been updated to reflect more accurately their roles in the Botan universe. They are The Teacher (previously The High Priest, more commonly The Hierophant in RWS tradition), and The Hanged One (previously The Hanged Man).
The Artwork - Seven of the cards have been updated with new artwork, all within the Major Arcana. They include The High Priestess, The Empress, The Emperor, The Teacher, The Star, The Moon, and The Sun. Since the creation of the 1st edition paintings in 2017, I’ve grown as an artist and as a person - these cards still embody much of the original design elements in their new reincarnations, but now I feel they convey their messages more clearly.
The Paper - The manufacturer has upgraded the 350gsm paper to a brand with better durability. It is slightly thicker than previous versions, so the deck itself will stand a bit taller (and the box slightly taller to accommodate this).
Other than that, the deck will still feature the same artwork on the back of the cards as well as any cards not mentioned above. The deck will still include a full-color guidebook (new artwork and titles updated, of course), the size of the cards is the same, the finish is still matte linen, and the deck will still have the matte Japanese indigo edges. *** "
