Another puzzle activity found in juku all over Japan is called Puzzle Dojo. A dojo is a place to practice martial arts, so the name literally means "a place to practice puzzles." Many of the problems in the Puzzle Dojo involve pictures or diagrams. The activities are designed to sharpen your thinking skills and expand your abilities as you compete with other puzzlers. It also teaches perseverance, and it's even said to help kids pass their school entrance exams.

Stick Game
(Puzzle Dojo)

One of the puzzles in Puzzle Dojo is the Stick Game, in which players receive a set of cards with different patterns of lines printed on them. The object is to get rid of your cards by arranging a series of sticks in the patterns shown on your cards. The first player to get rid of all their cards is the winner. This game requires you to consider the order of your cards and to think ahead to your future moves.

Seven Card
(Puzzle Dojo)

Seven Card, meanwhile, is a two-player game in which you and your opponent each have seven small boxes. Into each box you place a small card with a number from 1 to 7, and then you line up your boxes so your opponent can only see what numbers are contained in two of them. (It's against the rules to arrange the numbers in their natural order.) The object of the game is to guess the order in which your opponent's boxes are arranged. Players keep track of each other's guesses by placing numbered chips in front of their boxes.

The Puzzle Dojo Exam is held to inspire puzzlers to keep practicing and trying more complicated puzzles. The exam has a total of 24 different levels, including 10 standard grades as well as further tests for those seeking to become "apprentices," "masters," and "executives."

(Puzzle Dojo and Puzzle Dojo Exam are registered trademarks.)

(Updated in February 2009)