Description

This design features an artistic wordplay combining an axe (yoki), a koto bridge (koto), and a chrysanthemum flower (kiku), which together phonetically read as "yoki koto wo kiku" (hearing good news). It carries an auspicious meaning, symbolizing the arrival of favorable news.
The pattern was originally conceived by the famous kabuki actor, Onoe Kikugorō III (1784–1849), who wore it on stage as part of his costume. Today, it remains a popular motif, often seen on yukata and tenugui.
This type of visual and linguistic puzzle is known as "hanjimono" (wordplay riddles) and gained widespread popularity among the common people during the Edo period, thanks to its depiction in ukiyo-e prints.