" Kobana" (小花) - Matsui Tengudo

"kobana" (小花) - Matsui Tengudo - 48c. + 1 spare.
This deck is a miniature version of the Japanese Hanafuda, ( see http://anthonylesq.blogspot.com/2012/02/hanafuda-nintendo.html)
When I first opened the deck I uttered to myself,  " how on earth could they make it"
The deck is small, even by japanese standards ( the very name means "small flowers") -  The cards are about 2 x 3 cm.
The deck is coloured by stencil, and with some silver decoration added by hand. I am informed that the black outline was printed by woodblock. If that is true , I salute the japanese block-cutter who carved the block.
This deck also preserves some features of the earler hanafuda , namely:
1- the parts that are black in the current hanafuda, are green in colour
2 Note the "thunder" card in the "november" suit.  as opposed to a thundercloud, you see a drum

compare this deck with:

http://anthonylesq.blogspot.com/2012/02/hanafuda-nintendo.html

and

http://anthonylesq.blogspot.com/2011/10/hanafuda.html