鱗 Uroko
Traditional Japanese pattern (wagara) · wallpaper & status-bar design
Overview
Uroko fills the surface with triangles read as the scales of a snake, fish or dragon.
鱗は三角形を連ねた文様。蛇や魚の鱗に見立て、脱皮＝再生や厄除けの意味で武具などに用いられた。
History & origin
One of Japan's oldest decorative patterns, the triangular scale appears on ancient haniwa and bronze mirrors and later on Noh costume and samurai armour. Alternating light and dark triangles give it a shimmering, reptilian surface.
Symbolism & meaning
Snakes and dragons shed their skin, so uroko is tied to renewal and rebirth, and it was worn as a talisman to ward off evil and bad luck.
Traditional use
Historically used on armour, Noh robes and family crests, uroko makes a striking, slightly edgy wallpaper, especially in two contrasting tones.
Set it as your wallpaper
- Open the design in the editor and tune its colors.
- Recolor the ground and pattern, then add your own photo as the background.
- Download the PNG and set it as your wallpaper (Settings → Wallpaper on iPhone, or “Set as wallpaper” on Android).
New to custom wallpapers? Read the full step-by-step guide for iPhone & Android →
Uroko colorways
More patterns
The Uroko motif is part of the public-domain canon of Japanese wagara. The artwork on obolo is our own original rendering.