Kintokihana 金時花

金時花 Kintokihana, 48+1C. Oshi tengudo 大石天狗堂 

After a long interval, here is a deck from japan. We are told these cards come from Shikoku island in Japan. This deck was purchased around 5 years ago from a shop in Tokyo. The cards come in a elegant wooden box. The cards are also called Awabana 啊波花

Unlike the standard form of Hanafuda, the Kintokihana has the names of the months associated with each suit written on the card. The suit of "January", for instance has the words 一月“First month" written on the banner ( top row, 2nd from Left)  card. The remaining cards possess an encircled 一, meaning One. The same goes for the second row, showing suits from the second month-- 二月.

In other photographs of this pattern ( vide Andy Polett) the individual branches are picked out in white. In this example, the branches are picked out in silver ink. 
A translation of the short texts on the suit of January will be greatly appreciated. 

The Third [top row] and Fourth [bottom row] months.

The cards are very slightly curved along their width; you can see this in the 3rd month.

Unlike the other months, the "banner" card in the third month does not possess a numeral; rather a short text in japanese is shown, like in the "standard' hanafuda. 

Note The "Junk" cards in the third month. In this deck, the cherry blossoms are merely depicted. In the standard hanafuda, the cherry blossoms are shown growing from a branch. 

The Fifth and Sixth months. Some cards possess a stripe of silver across their width. This might be an aid to their identification. 

One of the major difficulties beginners have with hanafuda is knowing which card belongs to which suit. Unless you are familliar with Japanese plants, this is a hard task. It is further compounded by the same plant is depicted in different ways in the same suit. The numbers attached to the cards are thus an immense help, and it is hoped makers of Hanafuda would make more cards with this feature. 

The Seventh [top row] and Eighth[bottom row] months. 

On the two "Junk" cards of the 8th month, [ 2nd and 3rd from left, bottom] Japanese texts are seen. I would be most glad if anyone told me what they say. Note the blades of grass picked out in silver, on two of the cards in the Eighth month 

The Ninth [top] and Tenth months[bottom].   Note the horizontal bands of silver on some of the cards 

The suit of Eleventh (Top row) and Twelth months. Notably, the twelfth month is unumbered. 

To the far left we see the the extra card. It depicts Kintaro, a renowned Japanese warrior.

Hanafuda-- Angel, 翁

Hanafuda by "angel", "Old Man" (翁)48+1c,


EDIT: For Seven years, ( It was first published in 10/9/2011)  the author has given an erroneous title to the post.

The error surrounded the card's brand name. He initially misread it as 扇, meaning "fan". It was in fact the Similar-looking word 翁, meaning "Old Man".  The relevant character can be seen on the cards of the "December" suit (Top row). Seven years on, he re-publishes it, with the error corrected.

The name does not sound as incongruous as it seems. One of the most celebrated plays in the Noh repitoire is called 翁 Okina. A fascinating summary of the play, part ritual, part theater, may be found here  The author recalls the deck's wrapper depicted an actor, playing the role of the old man.

The deck contained 48 cards, plus one spare card. That spare card is shown to the left. It resembles the "Banner" card in the "March" suit of cherry blossoms. However, on the ribbon is marked the word 見本 Mihon , meaning Spare in Japanese. :" Sample" in Japanese.https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E8%A6%8B%E6%9C%AC

 As the commentator Porges said below "[This card] is to be placed on the front of the deck when on display in a shop, to indicate the quality of the cards."