Competitive karuta
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
card game played with uta-garuta
cards. There are many other ways of playing karuta
that are not demanding and are very easy to play. Thus, they are popular among the general public. Many games are played officially, in national competitions, and privately during the new year celebration.
Most families in Japan have a set of karuta poetry cards.
Although karuta is very popular in Japan, there are not many players of competitive karuta. It is estimated that there are about 10,000 to 20,000 competitive players in Japan, of which 2,000 are above C-class (above 1 Dan) and registered to the “All Japan Karuta Association”.
There are other associations of karuta players, including “Nippon Karuta-in HonIn” which gives more weight to the cultural aspects of karuta than the competitions.
The Japan national championship tournament of competitive karuta is held every January at Omi Jingu (a Shinto Shrine) in Ōtsu, Shiga
and the winners of the male and female divisions are each given the title of Grand Champion - Meijin for males, and Queen for females. The national championship tournament for high school students is held every July.
Out of 100 torifuda, each player randomly picks 25 cards whithout looking at them, these are the player's cards. The player then places the cards in front of them (the player's territory) face up. Each player arranges their cards in 3 layers in the space of 87 cm wide and separated from their opponent's cards by 3 cm.
A total of 50 cards are in play during the match, 25 cards in each territory. The remaining 50 cards are not in play (or "ghost cards"). The first player to clear all of their own cards is the winner.
Players are given 15 minutes to memorize cards before the match starts.
First the reciter reads the introductionary poem which is not one of karutas 100 poems. This introductionary reading allows players to familiarize themselves with the reciter’s voice and reading rhythm. Then the game starts with the reciter reading one yomifuda card from 100 including the yomifuda corresponding to the 50 ghost cards which are out of play.
When the target card is touched by both players at the same time, the pick is given to the owner of the card.
Because of this rule, players can toss away surrounding cards with the target card.
Double faults
The order of the cards in your territory may be rearranged any time during the game. However, frequent rearrangements are considered bad manners.
There are 7 poems which have unique first syllables (Fu, Ho, Me, Mu, Sa, Se, Su) and 86 poems with unique first 3 syllables. There are 3 cards starting with Chi which are "Chihayafuru", "Chigirikina" and "Chigiriokishi", so a player must react as soon as he/she hears the beginning decisive part of the poem. Fast thinking is required to take a card as well as physical speed. One match lasts about 90 minutes including 15 minutes pre-match memorizing time. In the national tournament 5 to 7 matches are played by a winner.
Mental as well as physical endurance are tested in the tournament. It is reported that tournament players may lose up to 4kg (8.8lb) during the process.
Because of the tension, tactic and fast dynamic movements, it is described as “fight club” as physical sports.
There are 5 levels of individual tournaments by ranking group (Dan
=grade).
There are about 50 official tournaments every year which are counted for ranking of Dan.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
card game played with uta-garuta
Uta-garuta
are a kind of karuta, Japanese traditional playing cards. It is also the name of the game in which they are used. The game is played mostly on Japanese New Year's holidays. On each card, a poem is written, and there are a total of 100 poems. The standard collection of the poems used is called...
cards. There are many other ways of playing karuta
Karuta
is a Japanese card game.The basic idea of any karuta game is to be able to quickly determine which card out of an array of cards is required and then to grab the card before it is grabbed by an opponent. There are various types of cards which can be used to play karuta...
that are not demanding and are very easy to play. Thus, they are popular among the general public. Many games are played officially, in national competitions, and privately during the new year celebration.
Overview
Competitive karuta had been played through the 19th century with various sets of rules. At the beginning of 20th century, the Karuta Association was formed and rules were unified, which allowed for the beginning of national competitions.Most families in Japan have a set of karuta poetry cards.
Although karuta is very popular in Japan, there are not many players of competitive karuta. It is estimated that there are about 10,000 to 20,000 competitive players in Japan, of which 2,000 are above C-class (above 1 Dan) and registered to the “All Japan Karuta Association”.
There are other associations of karuta players, including “Nippon Karuta-in HonIn” which gives more weight to the cultural aspects of karuta than the competitions.
The Japan national championship tournament of competitive karuta is held every January at Omi Jingu (a Shinto Shrine) in Ōtsu, Shiga
Otsu, Shiga
is the capital city of Shiga, Japan. The city was founded on October 1, 1898. As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 338,629 with an average age of 40.7 years and a population density of 905.28 persons per km²...
and the winners of the male and female divisions are each given the title of Grand Champion - Meijin for males, and Queen for females. The national championship tournament for high school students is held every July.
Karuta cards
100 tanka poems are printed in yomifuda and torifuda.- Yomifuda (reading card); 100 in a deck, includes a picture of a poet with one of their complete tanka poems (5-7-5-7-7 syllables).
- Torifuda (playing card); 100 in a deck, with only last phrases of a tanka poem (the ending 7-7 syllable lines).
Rules
Competitive karuta is a one on one game, facilitated by a reciter (card reader) and a judge.Out of 100 torifuda, each player randomly picks 25 cards whithout looking at them, these are the player's cards. The player then places the cards in front of them (the player's territory) face up. Each player arranges their cards in 3 layers in the space of 87 cm wide and separated from their opponent's cards by 3 cm.
A total of 50 cards are in play during the match, 25 cards in each territory. The remaining 50 cards are not in play (or "ghost cards"). The first player to clear all of their own cards is the winner.
Players are given 15 minutes to memorize cards before the match starts.
First the reciter reads the introductionary poem which is not one of karutas 100 poems. This introductionary reading allows players to familiarize themselves with the reciter’s voice and reading rhythm. Then the game starts with the reciter reading one yomifuda card from 100 including the yomifuda corresponding to the 50 ghost cards which are out of play.
When the target card is touched by both players at the same time, the pick is given to the owner of the card.
Otetsuki (Fault, False touch)
- When a live (in play) card is read, then touching any card in the territory that has the card that was read is not considered a penalty, even if it is not the card that was read.
- For example, if the target card is one of the cards in your territory, and you or your opponent touches a wrong card in your territory. This incorrect touch is not penalized.
Because of this rule, players can toss away surrounding cards with the target card.
- Touching a card in the opposite territory of the one that is being read results in a penalty of one card.
- For example, target card is in you territory and you or opponent touching a card of opponent side is fault.
Double faults
- If one player touches the correct card, and the opponent touches the wrong card in the opposite territory, a penalty of two cards is incurred. (NB: if the opponent touches
- When a player touches any card when a ghost card is read, the penalty is receiving two cards from their opponent.
The order of the cards in your territory may be rearranged any time during the game. However, frequent rearrangements are considered bad manners.
Characteristics of game
Beside memorizing all 100 tanka poems, players must memorize the layout of cards at the match which changes as the game progresses.There are 7 poems which have unique first syllables (Fu, Ho, Me, Mu, Sa, Se, Su) and 86 poems with unique first 3 syllables. There are 3 cards starting with Chi which are "Chihayafuru", "Chigirikina" and "Chigiriokishi", so a player must react as soon as he/she hears the beginning decisive part of the poem. Fast thinking is required to take a card as well as physical speed. One match lasts about 90 minutes including 15 minutes pre-match memorizing time. In the national tournament 5 to 7 matches are played by a winner.
Mental as well as physical endurance are tested in the tournament. It is reported that tournament players may lose up to 4kg (8.8lb) during the process.
Because of the tension, tactic and fast dynamic movements, it is described as “fight club” as physical sports.
Official games
- Individual match
There are 5 levels of individual tournaments by ranking group (Dan
Dan (rank)
The ranking system is a Japanese mark of level, which is used in modern fine arts and martial arts. Originally invented in a Go school in the Edo period, this system was applied to martial arts by Kanō Jigorō, the founder of judo and later introduced to other East Asia countries.In the modern...
=grade).
- A class; 4-Dan or above
- B class; 2, 3-Dan
- C class; 1-Dan
- D class intermediate
- E class beginner
There are about 50 official tournaments every year which are counted for ranking of Dan.
- Group match
Media coverage
Beside news coverages of official tournaments, there are several drama, Manga and Animation staged in Kyogi Karuta. i.e. ChihayafuruChihayafuru
is a manga series written and illustrated by Yuki Suetsugu, serialised in Be Love and published by Kodansha. It is about a school girl, Chihaya Ayase, who after seeing her sister become a fashion model, is inspired by a new classmate to take up Hyakunin Isshu karuta competitively...
external link
- YouTube clip explain the rule "Hyakunin Isshu Karuta game"
- another good clip but in Japanese Kyogi Karuta 1