Japanese Pattern Quiz

Yagasuri (Arrow Feathers)

You line up arrow feathers one by one, all facing the same way, and head forward without hesitating.

StraightOne by oneSet a destination

Yagasuri is a pattern made of the feathered ends of arrows, laid out in a design. Each set of feathers stands clearly apart, arranged in vertical columns, all facing the same direction. From the Meiji era through the Taisho era — the late 1800s to the 1920s — it was also known as a pattern schoolgirls wore with their hakama, a pleated skirt-like garment.

An arrow, once shot, flies straight to the target and never comes back. That's why yagasuri has long been considered a lucky pattern to give a bride when she marries. You, too, break what needs doing into separate pieces, decide where you're going first, and move ahead without hesitation, step by step as planned.

Since an arrow can't come back once it's loosed, it's hard to change its course midway. You, too, may keep facing forward once you've set off, even when someone suggests a detour. If you take a moment to look at the target once more before you let go, you keep your directness and the place you'll land becomes clearer.

Strengths

You can break what needs doing into separate pieces and deal with them in order
You can decide where you're going and head straight there
Even with something new, you can make a plan and get started right away

Where you may stumble

Once you've set off, it's hard to accept suggestions to change direction
You head to the next thing as soon as one is done, so there's little time to look back
With projects that have no end in sight, you're uneasy not knowing how far to go

Sounds familiar, Yagasuri (Arrow Feathers)?

You walk fast, and notice you're a few steps ahead of whoever you're with
The moment you finish one thing, you're already saying what's next
When you buy a new notebook, you write a “use up by” date inside the cover

Where you shine

Projects with a deadline, or working through tasks in order — that's when your straight-ahead way of moving helps everyone face the same way.

Tips for “Yagasuri (Arrow Feathers)”

Before you set off, take one moment to look at where you're going again
When you finish one thing, look back briefly before moving on to the next
When someone suggests a detour, try just one

Matches

See every match in the Japanese Pattern Quiz compatibility chart →

Easy together

Ichimatsu (Checkerboard) — Ichimatsu also breaks things into separate pieces and moves by the plan. To Yagasuri, who tends to rush ahead, Ichimatsu adds the reliability of keeping at the same pace, so fewer gaps are left behind after you've moved on.

Easy together

Chidori (Plovers) — Chidori also heads lightly for a destination, one thing at a time. Put Yagasuri, who goes by the plan, next to Chidori, who can change direction on the spot, and even with the same destination, you have more options for how to get there.

May clash

Shippo (Seven Treasures) — Shippo changes shape to suit the moment, linking things together and layering the same circles endlessly. Yagasuri wants to split things up and head straight for its destination; Shippo wants to link its circles and carry on in the same place — so neither your way of moving nor your direction tends to mesh.