The 18th card among 22 Majour Arcana cards is the Moon card. And there is a crayfish in the Moon card.

Don't you think how marvelous it is to see in a tarot card a crayfish which is ususally a minor creature ?

Someone may think "besides, there is no crayfish in Hanahuda - Japanese playing crads."

But, think about this.

These days, many Japanese are familiar with crayfish because they can see crayfish every pond, creek and river.

This used to be different a long ago - but not too much long ago.

It is no more than 100 years since crayfish could be observed everywhere in Japan.

Even in Meiji era and Taisho era, the only species that exists in Japan was Cambaroides japonicus - what we call Japanese Crayfish - living exclusively in Hokkaido and northern Touhoku.
Therefore most population didn't see crayfish alive.

Much less in Edo era people did know the existence of crayfish because Hokkaido was uncultivated.

When Dr. Siebold explained that western medicine 'oculi cancri' is made from the gastro stone of the crayfish, the students must have said "we have no idea of crayfish on the earth."

Thus, there is no way but the crayfish would be a minority in Japanese traditional culture and crayfish could not be depicted in Hanahuda.

But different is Europe where the crayfish has been living with people.
It is natural that the crayfish lives in the traditional culture such as tarot.
Japanese crayfish lovers really envy it!

Now, let's take a look at the Moon card.

In the sky there is the moon with a human face on it and the moon emits its light downword.

On the ground you see a crayfish in a blue pool of water.

Beyond the pool there is a path which goes to the moon.

There stand a pair of dogs and further a pair of towers on both sides of the path.

Next, let me explain what the Moon card implicates.

The moon usually symbolize 'minor' in comparison with the sun. However, the moon reflects the light of the sun. In another word, the sun which symbolizes ' major' shines behind the moon.
It implies that beyond the moon is the sun and a promise of hope and "light at the end of the tunnel."
There is a path to the moon and the towers in the foreground of the moon symbolize the entrance to the world of the moon and furthermore the sun.

As for the crayfish, the crayfish symbolizes the individual or his ego. And each of us has a hard ego shell which we erect to protect the self like the crayfish.

The blue water of the pool where the crayfish lives is stagnant, which symbolizes our stagnant, melancholy, and unstable emotions.

The crayfish must get out of the stagnant water and follow the path in order to go past the moon to the sun which shines behind it.

On the path, however, one initially encounters two dogs which symbolize those who would like us to stay as we are and therfore force us to remain in the stagnant emotions.
It is not so easy to go to the moon.
The crayfish cannot easily escape from the stagnant and unstabel world.

As a result, the Moon card implies,

Lack of clarity --- Tension --- Doubt --- Fantasy

Deception --- Psychological conflict --- Obscured vision

Confusion --- Illusion --- Fear --- Imaginaiton --- Worry

Romanticism --- Anxiety --- Apprehension --- Unrealistic ideas

Isn't it cool that the crayfish symbolizes the individual or his ego ?

Crayfish enthusiasts must have affirmed their confidence that their way were right to go.

At last, let me exhibit various 'the Moon' card.
Please enjoy the crayfishs on the cards !