Hello! It is the blog How Unique Japan! How are you? This time, we will discuss an old card game in Japan.
What do you think about any card games? Magic and ●thering? Yu-●io or Pokem●n?
In those games, players should compare their advantages and manage a better plan against their opponents. It should be a basic card game,
Indeed. It should be mind games, not physical.
However, do you know that such a game (physical card game) exists in Japan? Let me introduce you to the card game. It is called Menko!
How to play with the Menko Cards?
First, we need to put some cards on the ground. All card surfaces must be up. (Both players should agree on the number of cards they use from their decks to ensure fairness.)
Then, the attacker SLAMS the card near the side of the opponent’s card on the ground and blows it upside down. It sounds impossible, but the wind would make it possible.
When the card got slammed on the grand, the breeze would happen. Such weak wind would make the cards float and get them upside down.
If the attacker successfully does that, the flipped card becomes his point. That means the attacker can snatch and collect the card.
By how many cards they get, the player wins.
Indeed. The Menko cards must be hard/tough due to their playing style. That is why they are cardboard.
The history
The time it was born is vague because no one can prove the exact time.
A historical theory, at least, suggests that it was around the Edo era (1603 – 1868 AD). In that era, the card was from Thick Cray. The cray was burned well to be a mess of pottery. Thus, players usually break it during the game.
After the Maizi era (1868 – 1912), the ingredients were altered to metal lead.
However, that soon became disabled because of its poison. So now, it has been replaced with cardboard.
Menko designs
After World War II, the card’s design also improved due to better printing technology. All of them are now well printed, but the design always follows the old style. (Please look at the picture below.)
As you recognized, some sizes are varied. It is a strategy to choose which card would make better affection (causing good air pressure and wind).
To close
So, it is a simple game. It is slamming and flipping the enemy card upside down.
However, such a rule also makes it more complicated than we think, due to the strategies/techniques. It is the interestingness of the old Japanese card game Menko.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING! This time, we touched on one of the Japanese traditional toys.
But there are still so many unique toys in Japan. If you are still interested in another Japanese uniqueness, check the front page of this blog!
Oh, we have some more. Our blog has articles about Japanese food, lifestyle, and history. Do not miss them!
OK then, see your next article!