Symbolism

In the West the swastika is forever associated with a dark past and carries a negative stigma. But the same symbol in the East brings good luck and positivity to Buddhists. It is ubiquitous across Japan.

The word swastika means good fortune, luck and well-being. It is associated with eternity, abundance, prosperity and long life. You see it on many shrines and temples as well as textiles and paintings.

The original design of the swastika was horizontal, left facing and clockwise. The Nazi party flopped it, rotated it 45 degrees and turned it to face the right. They also corrupted it into something very negative. It has taken a move to Japan for me to associate it with good vibes and positivity and to understand that it has absolutely no stigma in the East.

Sometimes a symbol holds more power than the thing it represents.
Jarod Kintz