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NIPPONIA No.26 September 15, 2003
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Menko
This is generally a boys' game. It is as old as beigoma.Pieces called menko have pictures on one side. The pictures are of heroes popular among boys during the era when played — samurai, famous sports players, heroes from comics, and so on. Winners keep their opponents' menko.
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How to play
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(1)
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To decide turns, players do rock, paper, scissors. All players, except the one whose turn it is, lay their menko on the ground. The first player tries to flip one of the menko over by throwing his own menko at it. |
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(2) |
If a menko on the ground is flipped over, the thrower keeps it and the loser is out of the game. If no menko flips, the next player gets a turn. Rules vary. In one variation, a circle about 1 meter in diameter is drawn on the ground. Menko knocked out of the circle are taken. In another variation, players take turns, and whoever flips over a menko first gets to keep all of them on the ground. |
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Otedama
Otedama (beanbags) are made from leftover pieces of cloth that are sewed together into little bags. The bags are filled with azuki beans, beads or the like. The game is generally considered to be for girls. The bags are juggled while singing.
How to play
There are many ways to play with beanbags. The game shown right is called nage-dama. Throw the bag into the air with one hand, catch with the other hand, and then quickly toss it back to your throwing hand. Repeat this until you become good at it. Then increase the number of bags to two, three, and then four. When you are expert at this, make things harder by juggling the bags with one hand.
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Beigoma
This is generally considered a boys' game. Today, cast iron tops are used, but years ago they were made out of spiral shells. Boys compete with each other by refining their tops and making them stronger — sanding off part of the bottom to make them lower, carving zigzagged shapes around them, or making them heavier by coating them with wax.
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How to play
You will need a small barrel or a large bucket, and a goza mat or canvas to cover the hole in the barrel or bucket, to make a platform for spinning the tops.
The most common way to play:
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(1)
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All players spin their tops at the same time, on the platform.
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(2)
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The last top left spinning wins the game, if it remains on the platform.
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