The
Japanese currency is Yen,
(¥) and $1.00 is equivalent to about ¥100 but the Japanese yen is more than just money. Each coin is a symbol of a part of
Japanese culture. If you look a a
1 yen coin you will notice the sapling visible on the reverse side of the coin. The sapling is a symbol of the healthy growth of
Japan.
The
5 yen coin is a symbol of agriculture and industry in Japan. If you look carefully at the coin you can see some stalks of rice curved over. Around the center hole you can see the outline of a gear.
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| English: Japan 5 yen coin (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
The
50 yen coin has a chrysanthemum (known as 'kiku' in Japanese) on it. The chrysanthemum is special because it is used in the
Imperial Seal of Japan by the member of the Imperial family.
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| Description de l'image : Monnaie yen 50 face (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
The
100 Yen coin has those beautiful cherry blossoms associated with Japan. Cherry blossoms only bloom for a short time and thus symbolize cycles in nature and how quickly good things pass. This is part of the Japanese cultural tradition related to Buddhism known as 'mono no aware'.
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| The obverse and reverse of the Japanese 100 Yen coin. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Finally the 500 yen plant features the Paulownia plant ('Kiri' in Japanese). This plant is used as the crest used by the Cabinet and Government of Japan. Its wood is used to make koto, a stringed musical instrument considered the national instrument of Japan.
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