I would like to wish you the very best for 2024 with a typical New Year’s scene from old Japan—people playing karuta (かるた).
Karuta is still played by some families during New Year today. In this card game, one person reads the start of a poem—taken from the hyakunin isshu wakaanthology—written on cards called yomifuda (読札, reading cards).
On the floor, torifuda (取り札 or grabbing cards)—cards with the end of the poem—are spread out. The aim of the game is to be the first to grab a torifuda card after a yomifuda has been read out, and to collect as many cards as possible during the duration of the game.
Every January 3rd, Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto hosts the first Karuta game of the year, known as karuta hajime shiki (かるた始め式, first karuta ceremony). The players are women aged between 8 and 25 dressed in Heian Period (794-1185) Juni-hitoe court costumes.
Karuta is a s port as well as entertainment. Japan hosts sixty tournaments of kyogi karuta annually.
In 2022 I reproduced a photo book about Japanese New Year celebrations from 1906 (Meiji 39). If you missed it or would like to read it again, this is your chance:
Old Photos of Japan aims to be your personal museum for daily life in old Japan. I track down and acquire rare vintage images and research and conserve them.
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Hello Kjeld, I hope your New Year is off to a good start. It certainly seems to be with your latest post. I was not familiar with the traditional game you are highlighting in your post but I have enjoyed learning about it. Please, keep up your good work. I will look forward to your next post. Morelle Cook Jones