Focus questions:
What are Japanese traditional patterns?
How are traditional patterns culturally significant in Japanesesociety? Why?
What do traditional patterns symbolise?
What patterns are significant in your culture?

Your name: なまえJapaneseEnglish© The Japan Foundation, Sydney

What is もんよう?
1. What are these? Circle the correct words to describe the patterns below.

These are the Japanese Olympic emblems which include
Japanese (contemporary / traditional) pattern.
The pattern was first recognised in (Kimono / Yukata) which wasworn by a Kabuki actor whose name was Ichimasu Sanogawa.
This pattern is known as (いちまつもんよう/ さのがわもんよう).
Kabuki is a classic Japanese dance theatre, and usually
performed by (female actress / male actor).

2. What is this pattern below called in your culture? What is this pattern often
used for? Write the answers in the box.

© The Japan Foundation, Sydney

Colours in traditional patterns
1. Match the colours to the hiragana

あかきいろ

しろあおピンク

むらさきみどりくろ© The Japan Foundation, Sydney

2. Write the colours of the patterns in the boxes below using the letters given.

3. What is your favourite colour? Write the colour in Japanese.

4. Ask each other what your favourite colours are.

Q: なにいろがすき？ A: ＿＿＿＿がすき。
© The Japan Foundation, Sydney

3. What are the names of these shapes? Write the number in the shapes.
Word bank:

1. まる

2. おうぎ3. さんかく4. しかく5. ごかく 6. ろっかく

3. かたちはなんですか？Find various patterns in traditional patterns© The Japan Foundation, Sydney

4. いくつありますか？ Count the number of shapes in the patterns.
1

32

おうぎ
（4しかく）（まる） （さんかく）（）

5. Fill in the empty spaces
ShapesKanji

Hiragana----まる----

おうぎ

Englishtriangle

四かく
ごかく六かく© The Japan Foundation, Sydney

5a Draw Japanese patterns of your choice in the kimono and colour them in.
Trace the Hiragana of the colours.

Q: What shapes did you include in the patterns of Kimono? Write them in Japanese.

© The Japan Foundation, Sydney

5b Draw Japanese patterns of your choice in the kimono and colour them in.
Trace the Hiragana of the colours.

Q: What shapes did you include in the patterns of Kimono? Write them in Japanese.

© The Japan Foundation, Sydney

2019 The Japan Foundation, Sydney

1

かご

2

たから

3はっぱ© The Japan Foundation, Sydney

なみ

4

1． Match up the patterns to the pictures below.

Meaning of the patterns

5

へび

6しか2.

What are these words in Japanese? Match the pictures to the descriptions.

・・

かめです。
いみは、ながいきです。
*(longevity)

・・へびです。
いみは、まよけです。
*(talisman)

たからです。*(treasures)・・

いみは、ハーモニーです。
*(harmony)

なみです。

・・

いみは、へいわです。
(peace)はっぱです。
いみは、せいちょうです。

・・*(growth)

かごです。*(baskets)・・

６かくです。めです。
こわいです。
いみは、まよけです。
*(talisman)

10© The Japan Foundation, Sydney

★TaskTask 1
Research some patterns or designs from various countries/regions.

What are they? What do they signify? Share them in groups.
Task 2
Writing Task: Underline the words in the passage below which you will change
to write your own.

デザインは、まるです。
あおと、みどりです。
いみは、うみです。
うみは、おおきいです。
きれいです。
オーストラリアじんは、うみがすきです。
うみは、オーストラリアのシンボルです。
Vocab list: デザイン design

まる circle/s

みず water
うみ seaオーストラリア Australia

てん dot/s

いみ meaning

オーストラリアじん Australian
シンボル symbol

11© The Japan Foundation, Sydney

Task 3
Design your own pattern for a new surfboard in the box. The design must reflect
an aspect of Australian culture. Describe the design in Japanese.

ぼくの/わたしのもんよう__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
12© The Japan Foundation, Sydney

13© The Japan Foundation, Sydney© The Japan Foundation, Sydney

Creating a bilingual book of Japanese patterns