“A man is worth nothing if he does not understand that ‘now’ and ‘the one time’ are one and the same.”  Tsunetomo Yamamoto, Hagakure

In Japanese art, the dragon is not depicted in full: Its scaly body is hiding in swirling clouds or is diving into stormy waves. According to legend, no mortal may see a whole dragon and remain alive. The dragon inhales air and exhales a cloud, while commanding over the elements. On the tsuba (the protective guard separating a traditional Japanese sword’s handle from its blade), a picture of a diving dragon will help its owner to attain concentration and escape the commotion.