Updated November 12, 2024

The Japanese New Year is full of fun and activities, but there are only three main games that are played in Japan during the New Year’s period.

Hagoita

Hagoita are small decorative wooden paddles that act as good luck charms for the New Year. These ornaments can be bought at fairs occurring from mid December to early January.

The original wooden paddles that these charms are based on are from a Japanese game called hanetsuki. In this badminton-type game, players strike bad luck away with the paddles.

Modern hagoita are often adorned with 3-dimensional artwork made of silk, washi paper, or wood. The art usually resembles Japanese geisha, kabuki actors, or sumo wrestlers. Specialty stores may sell hagoita decorated with Japanese characters, famous actors, or even Disney characters. Some very special hagoita will also be embellished with gold leaf. Hagoita displaying one kabuki actor is known as hitori-dachi, and one displaying two kabuki actors are known as futari-dachi. In very rare instances, a hagoita will display as many as FIVE kabuki actors on it. This would be known as a gonin-dachi.

If a man is displayed on the face of a hagoita, the charm is generally geared towards helping with economic recession. If a woman is displayed, the charm is usually for fertility or a new-born baby.

Often the stands around shrines that sell these paddles are quite recognizable, as the vendors will clap their hands in harmony with one another, or shout with excitement.

Takoage

Takoage is a kite flying game played during New Years in Japan. These kites can come in diamond, rectangular, and hexagonal shapes, or sometimes they can be in the shape of Japanese characters or various animals! Often the designs painted on the kites signify good luck.

Takoage kites are sold in convenience stores and toy shops around mid December.

The kite flying New Years tradition is so prevalent in Japan because the Tokugawa shogun during the late Edo period restricted the flying of kites except during the New Year’s period.

Karuta

The final traditional Japanese New Year game is karuta – a card game. The name karuta originates from the Portuguese word for “card” – carta. This is because Portuguese traders introduced playing cards to Japan sometime in the 16th century.  One player reads out a poem or well known proverb, and the player who correctly identifies the card with the corresponding picture or character the fastest, gains a point.

The oldest version of this game in Japan is called Hyakunin Isshu karuta, which is karuta played with the Tanka, a collection of Hyakunin Isshu, which translates to one hundred poets, one poem each. This well known collection is comprised of 100 poems, each only 5 lines and 31 syllables. The first three lines are called kaminoku, and the last two lines are called shimonoku. Elementary and junior high schools usually teach the Hyakunin Isshu to students, so most Japanese people are familiar with these poems!

During Hyakunin Isshu karuta, one player reads out the first half of the poem, and the other players must scramble to identify the card with the correct second half of the poem written on it. A more intense version of this game is competitive karuta, where two players race head-to-head to identify the poems. Competitive karuta requires players who are incredibly well-versed in their Hyakunin Isshu! Often the players need hear only one syllable before they identify the correct corresponding card.

Karuta is a popular game to play during the Japanese New Year since it emphasizes bonding and togetherness. Give it a try by visiting Japan during the New Year!