U-zu-maki (Rabbits' spirals)

Each circle appears to rotate. In addition, concentric circles appear to be a spiral.

"U" means rabbits, "zu" means "figure", "maki" means rotation, and "Uzumaki" means spirals or swirls. Yellow represents the color of the moon in Japan and it is imagined (though not seriously) that rabbits live in the moon and make mochi (food made from rice).

access since June 29, 2004




"Glossy u-zu-maki"

Each disk appear to rotate.

Copyright Akiyoshi Kitaoka 2011 (February 8)



"Rotating U-zu"

Each disk appear to rotate.

Copyright Akitaoka Kitaoka 2004 (June 29)
updated May 8, 2009

My nengajo


"U-zu"

(A remake)

Disks appear to rotate. This image was originally developed for the spiral illusion, in which the concentric gray lines appear to be a spiral. My nengajo

Copyright A.Kitaoka 2005 (May 23)


"U-zu-maki glasses #2"

Inner rings appear to rotate.

Copyright A.Kitaoka 2004 (June 29)


"U-zu-maki #3"

Uzumaki disks appear to rotate. Moreover, concentric circles appear to form a spiral in each disk.

Copyright A.Kitaoka 2004 (June 29)

A version of Rotating snakes's color


"U-zu-maki #2"

Uzumaki disks appear to rotate. Moreover, concentric circles appear to form a spiral in each disk.

Copyright A.Kitaoka 2004 (June 29)

A version of Rotating snakes's color


"U-zu-maki"

"U" means rabbits, "zu" means "figure", "maki" means rotation, and "Uzumaki" means spirals or swirls. Yellow represents the color of the moon in Japan and it is imagined (though not seriously) that rabbits live in the moon and make mochi (food made from rice).

Copyright A.Kitaoka 2003
(c)Akiyoshi Kitaoka "Trick eyes 2" Tokyo: KANZEN 2003

The first version


This figure was the key image of my second book "Trick Eyes 2" (sorry in Japanese) and was not uploaded on this site. Recently, one of my pictures, which shows this figure printed in the backcover of Trick Eyes 2, stirred up enthusiasm for diversion over internet. To avoid the diversion of figures of low quality, I hereby upload the figure of high quality on my site. Please download the figure shown above or the vector files shown below. For educational, research, or personal use, no contact is required. Please print it out well. Color printing is rather difficult. When you would like to copy this figure and upload it on your site, you can do so up to 3 images, where my name or this site name, AND the caption (c)Akiyoshi Kitaoka "Trick eyes 2" Tokyo: KANZEN 2003 will be required.


Presentation of the meeting of the Vision Society of Japan

The 2003's summer meeting of the Vision Society of Japan (2003/7/21-23) at the Shonan Kokusai-mura Center, Hayama, Kanagawa, Japan
Poster presentation (2003/7/21) entitled "Phenomenal characteristics of the peripheral drift illusion" (PDF file)

Acknowledgement. This research was supported by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (No. 14310045) awarded from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, and Project Research B (2002-2004) awarded from the Institute of Human Sciences, the Ritsumeikan University.


"U-zu-maki planes"

Blue uzumaki appear to rotate clockwise while red one counterclockwise.

Copyright A.Kitaoka 2003 (August 12)


"U-zu-maki glasses"

Inner rings appear to rotate.

Copyright A.Kitaoka 2003 (August 12)


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