Competitive karuta (Japanese: 競技かるた Hepburn: kyogi karuta) is a Japanese card game played with uta-garuta cards. There are many other ways of playing karuta that are not demanding and are very easy to play. Thus, they are popular among the general public. Many games are played officially, in national competitions, and privately during the new year celebration.
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Competitive karuta was played through the 19th century with various differing sets of rules. At the beginning of 20th century, the Karuta Association was formed and rules were unified, which allowed for the beginning of national competitions.
Most families in Japan have a set of karuta poetry cards. Although karuta is very popular in Japan, there are not many players of competitive karuta. It is estimated that there are about 10,000 to 20,000 competitive players in Japan, of which 2,000 are above C-class (above 1 Dan) and registered to the “All Japan Karuta Association”.
There are other associations of karuta players, including “Nippon Karuta-in HonIn” which gives more weight to the cultural aspects of karuta than the competitions.
The Japan national championship tournament of competitive karuta is held every January at Omi Jingu (a Shinto Shrine) in Ōtsu, Shiga and the winners of the male and female divisions are each given the title of Grand Champion - Meijin for males, and Queen for females. The national championship tournament for high school students is held every July.
100 tanka poems are printed in yomifuda and torifuda.
Competitive karuta is a one on one game, facilitated by a reciter (card reader) and a judge. Out of 100 torifuda, each player randomly picks 25 cards whithout looking at them, these are the player's cards. The player then places the cards in front of them (the player's territory) face up. Each player arranges their cards in 3 layers in the space of 87 cm wide and separated from their opponent's cards by 3 cm.[1]
A total of 50 cards are in play during the match, 25 cards in each territory. The remaining 50 cards are not in play (or "ghost cards"). The first player to clear all of their own cards is the winner.
Players are given 15 minutes to memorize cards before the match starts.
First the reciter reads the introductionary poem which is not one of karuta's 100 poems. This introductionary reading allows players to familiarize themselves with the reciter’s voice and reading rhythm. Then the game starts with the reciter reading one yomifuda card from 100 including the yomifuda corresponding to the 50 ghost cards which are out of play.
When the target card is touched by both players at the same time, the pick is given to the owner of the card.
Because of this rule, players can toss away surrounding cards with the target card.
Double faults
The order of the cards in your territory may be rearranged any time during the game. However, frequent rearrangements are considered bad manners.
Beside memorizing all 100 tanka poems, players must memorize the layout of cards at the match which changes as the game progresses.
There are 7 poems which have unique first syllables (Fu, Ho, Me, Mu, Sa, Se, Su) and 86 poems with unique first 3 syllables. There are 3 cards starting with Chi which are "Chihayafuru", "Chigirikina" and "Chigiriokishi", so a player must react as soon as he/she hears the beginning decisive part of the poem. Fast thinking is required to take a card as well as physical speed. One match lasts about 90 minutes including 15 minutes pre-match memorizing time. In the national tournament 5 to 7 matches are played by a winner.
Mental as well as physical endurance are tested in the tournament. It is reported that tournament players may lose up to 4kg (8.8lb) during the process.[3]
Because of the tension, tactic and fast dynamic movements, it is described as the "fight club" of physical sports. [4]
There are 5 levels of individual tournaments by ranking group (Dan=grade).
There are about 50 official tournaments every year which are counted for ranking of Dan.
Beside news coverages of official tournaments, there are several drama, anime and manga staged in competitive karuta, such as Chihayafuru.