Stepping into Kyoto feels like entering a living museum of Japanese culture. Beyond the temples and tea ceremonies, the city offers delightful hands-on encounters with traditional games that have entertained generations. These activities provide a unique window into Japan’s social history and are surprisingly accessible to visitors. Here’s your guide to diving into Kyoto’s playful past:
1. Karuta (かるた): Poetry in Motion
- What it is: A competitive card-matching game steeped in literature. The most famous version, Hyakunin Isshu (100 Poets), uses cards with classic waka poems.
- The Experience: A reader recites the first half of a poem (yomifuda). Players race to slap the corresponding card (torifuda) showing the second half, spread out before them. It’s fast-paced, requires sharp ears and quick reflexes, and is deeply connected to Japan’s poetic heritage.
- Where to Try: The Kyoto International Manga Museum often holds Karuta workshops or demonstrations, sometimes with English explanations. Look for special events during New Year’s, especially around January 3rd (Karuta Hajime ceremonies).
2. Kendama (けん玉): The Skillful Challenge
- What it is: A deceptively simple wooden toy consisting of a handle (ken), a ball (tama) attached by string, and three cups of different sizes plus a spike.
- The Experience: Players swing, bounce, and catch the ball onto the cups or spike. It starts easy (“Big Cup” catch) but progresses to incredibly complex tricks requiring immense dexterity and patience. It’s a test of hand-eye coordination and perseverance, popular with all ages.
- Where to Try: Purchase your own Kendama at traditional toy shops like Amezaiku Yoshihara (near Shimogamo Shrine) or Kyoto Marukyu (downtown). Staff often demonstrate basics. You can practice anywhere – parks, your ryokan lobby! Look for Kendama “jams” or demos at local festivals.
3. Hanafuda (花札): “Flower Cards” Strategy
- What it is: A beautiful deck of 48 cards, divided into 12 suits representing months and flowers/plants (e.g., January=Pine, March=Cherry Blossoms, August=Susuki Grass).
- The Experience: Gameplay involves matching cards based on suit or special combinations to score points. Popular games include Koi-Koi (aiming for specific combinations) and Hachi-Hachi (similar to Casino). The intricate artwork makes it visually stunning. While rules can seem complex initially, the core matching concept is graspable.
- Where to Try: Nintendo Kyoto (yes, Nintendo started with Hanafuda!) sells special decks and has displays on its history. Some cultural experience studios, like Camellia Tea Experience or Kyoto Cultural Experience Center NISHIKI, may offer introductory Hanafuda sessions as part of broader cultural packages.
4. Komamawashi (こままわし) & Beigoma (ベイゴマ): Spinning Tops
- What it is: Komamawashi are larger, often beautifully lacquered wooden tops spun by winding a string around them. Beigoma are smaller, metal-rimmed tops designed for battle – players spin them inside a ring to knock opponents out.
- The Experience: Spinning a top smoothly requires technique. For Komamawashi, it’s about grace and longevity. Beigoma is all about noisy, chaotic fun and competition! The whirring sound is iconic.
- Where to Try: Traditional toy shops (like those mentioned for Kendama) sell both. Look for them being played spontaneously by children in parks, especially on weekends. Some shrines or temples during festivals (matsuri) might have top-spinning game stalls.
5. Otedama (お手玉): Beanbag Juggling
- What it is: Small cloth bags filled with beans or rice, traditionally played by girls.
- The Experience: Players sing songs while performing rhythmic juggling patterns with several bags – tossing, catching, and bouncing them off surfaces. It’s a gentle, rhythmic, and surprisingly challenging coordination game.
- Where to Try: Often included in children’s games at festivals. Ask about it during hands-on cultural workshops focused on traditional play at places like Kyoto Arashiyama Orgel Museum (which sometimes includes play corners) or community centers offering cultural days.
Tips for Foreign Visitors:
- Language: Don’t worry! Gameplay is often visual and tactile. Staff at experience centers or shops usually know basic game terms in English or use gestures. Simple phrasebooks or translation apps help for rules explanations.
- Where to Focus: For guaranteed English-friendly experiences, book workshops at dedicated cultural centers like Kyoto Cultural Experience Center NISHIKI or look for specific events at the Kyoto International Manga Museum. Festivals are great for observation and spontaneous joining-in.
- Etiquette: Be respectful and observant. Ask before taking close-up photos of people playing. When participating in workshops, listen to instructions carefully. It’s okay to laugh at your own mistakes!
- Souvenirs: Traditional games make fantastic, compact souvenirs. Kendama, Hanafuda decks, and small tops are readily available.
- Festivals: Major festivals like Gion Matsuri (July) or Jidai Matsuri (October) often feature traditional game stalls or demonstrations in the surrounding fairgrounds (yoiyama).
Why Experience These Games?
Playing these traditional games isn’t just fun; it’s a direct connection to Kyoto’s heart. You engage with history, art (through Hanafuda or top designs), poetry (Karuta), and physical skill in a way passive sightseeing can’t match. It offers a moment of shared joy and understanding across cultures. So, step away from the guidebook for an hour, pick up a Kendama or some cards, and experience the playful spirit of old Kyoto! You might just discover your new favorite pastime.