![]() While the kendama can be dated back to at least the 18th century in Japan, it has recently taken on a lot of popularity internationally. And the techniques people can use to flip the ball into the cup are pretty much as endless as human imagination. So the handle has four different parts to catch the ball. But the handle has two cups on its sides (one larger than the other) and one at its base, plus a spike at the top.Ī spike you say? Yes! The ball has a hole in it and advanced players are able to catch the ball using the spike. Kendama is a wooden ball attached to a handle by a string. Kendama is a lot like a traditional “ball and cup” but so much more. If you can’t remember the words for the chant, just think in your head “1…2…go!” 3. ![]() Remember that there are always three beats and you show your hand on the third beat. On “pon”, show your hand (guu, choki, paa). Pump your fists three times to the chant. Start by chanting “Saisho wa guu” (さいしょはぐう), which means rock is first.The relationship of each hand is straightforward: paper beats rock, rock smashes scissors, scissors cut paper. There are a few variations on the chant you use with the game. School children especially may play this game hundreds of times a day. The game takes on a whole new level of importance in this country, being the decision maker of choice for many aspects of everyday life including who gets the last morsel of food on the plate, or who needs to run to the convenience store when beer runs out at the party, or even who takes the heat for the company’s losses last quarter. But what you may not know is just how much of a big deal janken is in Japan. Pretty much everyone the world over will be familiar with this game. Paddles come in all different sizes and are decorated with elaborate portraits of kabuki actors, Edo era ladies, and even contemporary celebrities and politicians Hello Kitty being one fan favorite. In fact, Tokyo hosts a hagoita market every year. The Hagoita-ichi is located at Sensoji Temple in Asakusa in mid-December. ![]() The game has declined in popularity recently but people today love to buy beautifully ornamented hagoita as collector’s items. And the longer all the players can keep the hane in the air, the more luck they will have in the coming year. ![]() The loser ungraciously gets their face smudged with black ink so you have extra incentive to stay focused. The object of the game is to keep the hane off the ground as long as possible. Unlike badminton, you don’t play with a net, but you do hit a shuttlecock (called a hane) back and forth using wooden paddles called hagoita. Hanetsuki – or Japanese badminton – is traditionally played on New Year’s and became a popular women’s game starting in the Muromachi period (1333-1568). And maybe, the next time you’re perusing through the souvenir shop, you’ll also have a better understanding of the meaning behind some of the toys on display. Even if you’re not into playing too much, there’s still a lot you can learn about Japanese history and culture through them. So let’s learn about some of Japan’s most timeless and classic games. And though when it comes to games, visitors might first know this country for creations like the Mario Brothers and FF7’s Cloud Strife, let’s not overlook the lasting popularity as well as nostalgic value of Japan’s traditional games. Japan has a rich history of traditional games which date back over generations. ![]()
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