Japan’s traditional games and toys form a rich continuum from the strategic board games of the imperial court to the spinning tops and kendama skill toys that appear at shrine festivals. Many are still actively played as competitive sports, taught in schools, and practiced by dedicated communities. Experiencing these games — whether watching a professional Go match, joining a local shogi club, or trying your hand at karuta card-slapping — reveals layers of Japanese aesthetics and intellectual culture.
Board Games: Go, Shogi, and Mahjong
Go (囲碁) is one of the oldest board games in continuous play, originating in China and refined in Japan into a professional sport with a formal ranking system (dan/kyu). The Nihon Ki-in (Japan Go Association) in Tokyo offers beginner lessons and observation of ranked matches. The Honinbo and Meijin title matches are televised national events. Shogi (将棋) — Japanese chess — has 8 million regular players in Japan and a professional circuit broadcast live on YouTube. The Japan Shogi Association in Sendagaya, Tokyo, offers visitor programs. Mahjong is played in thousands of licensed mahjong parlors (jansō) across Japan; the Japanese variant uses no jokers and distinct scoring rules from Chinese versions.
Karuta: The Poetry Card Game
Competitive karuta (競技かるた) uses the 100 poems of the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu anthology. A reader recites each poem; players race to slap the correct card from a field of 50 laid on tatami. The sport requires memorization of all 100 poems and lightning reflexes. The Omi Jingu Shrine in Otsu, Shiga, hosts the national championship each January. Anime series Chihayafuru has dramatically increased youth participation. Casual karuta sets are available at any department store for ¥1,000–¥3,000.
Traditional Toys: Kendama, Koma, and Beigoma
Kendama (cup-and-ball on a spike) has evolved from a traditional toy into an international trick sport with competitions held globally. High-performance kendama are manufactured in Hiroshima (Hatachi brand) and Aomori. Koma (spinning tops) range from simple wooden toys to the metal beigoma tops used in competitive spinning on stretched cloth. Beigoma tournaments are held at Asakusa and temple fairs. Hanetsuki (battledore and shuttlecock) is a New Year’s game played with decorated wooden paddles; the paddles (hagoita) are elaborate folk art objects sold at the Hagoita-ichi fair at Sensoji Temple each December.
Practical Tips
The Nihon Ki-in offers English-language Go lessons on weekend afternoons (¥500–¥1,000); no reservation required. Karuta experience sessions are offered at several Kyoto cultural centers and youth hostel programs. Kendama World Cup (held in Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima in August) is open to amateur participants with registration. Traditional toy shops in Asakusa and Kyoto’s Teramachi arcade stock authentic koma, kendama, and hagoita at tourist-accessible prices.