What kind of image do you have of competitive karuta?

Do you remember the Goshiki Hyakunin Isshu from your elementary school days? Some of you may think that memorizing 100 poems may seem daunting or difficult.

In competitive karuta, 50 out of 100 cards are used, and the player listens to the upper card read by the reader and takes it before his or her opponent. If a player takes a card from the “opponent’s” line, he or she sends any card from his or her own line to the opponent’s. The player who runs out of cards in his or her own line wins. The winner is the player who runs out of cards in his or her own team.

It may sound difficult, but since everyone is a beginner at first, seniors teach them carefully from the beginning!

And every month, tournaments are held in various parts of Japan, and club members participate in these tournaments in the form of expeditions. In summer, the University Championship is held at Omi Jingu Shrine, which is also known as the sacred place of karuta.

The competitive karuta club welcomes everyone who is passionate about something, who likes Hyakunin Isshu, who has watched and admired “Chihayafuru”, and who is interested in competitive karuta.

Why don’t you all experience a one-on-one game of tatami without distinction of age or gender?