While the FIFA ワールドカップ (wārudo kappu, World Cup) concludes next weekend, Japanese high school students are gearing up for the かるた甲子園 (Karuta 碍ō蝉丑颈别苍).
The term 甲子園 (碍ō蝉丑颈别苍) usually refers to the National High School Baseball Championship’s summer tournament but has become shorthand for many other major competitions, including for かるた (karuta), a traditional Japanese card game in which two players race to grab cards matching poems read aloud, testing memory, concentration and lightning-fast reflexes.
Students who compete in 競技かるた (kyōgi karuta, competitive karuta) gather at 近江神宮 (?mi jingū, Omi Jingu Shrine) in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, on July 19 and 20 to crown the individual and team champions at the tournament officially known as (Ogura hyakuninisshu kyōgi karuta zenkoku kōtō gakkō senshuken taikai, Ogura Hyakunin Isshu Competitive Karuta All-Japan High School Championship).
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.