Un-Sun Karuta Tournament

October 17, 2010

This year’s Un-Sun Karuta Tournament took place in Hitoyoshi, October 10. Twelve teams from all over Japan, including Tokyo, Osaka and Nara, travelled to Hitoyoshi to take part in this event, also visited by the Kumamoto city mayor.

A whole street of Hitoyoshi was filled with curious viewers, and different businesses opened their doors to host the games that took place throughout the day. For those who decided to watch only, a small market was available with varied souvenirs from Hitoyoshi, clothes and toys.

In an initial opening ceremony, a letter written by the Portuguese Ambassador was read both in Portuguese and Japanese, and an oath was taken by the players to honour the game. The teams, dressed in their red or blue happis (see photo), then set out to play 3 decisive games – one in the morning, two in the afternoon. This year, the game was also eagerly followed by Japanese newspapers and national television due to the Portuguese attendance.

All of the three winning teams came from Hitoyoshi but, in effect, it was the “International Team”, whose members living in Hitoyoshi come originally from Portugal, South Africa, United States and Japan, which ended up in 1st place. The winners were awarded a diploma and their names were written in a ribbon, which will be placed with the cup until next year’s tournament.

(Photo by the Kumamoto Newspaper)

The Un-Sun Karuta, if expanded to Portugal, can be a wonderful way of developing greater friendship ties between Portugal and Japan.

Hitoyoshi, Japan

October 17 - Hitoyoshi, Japan

Hitoyoshi is a small city of no more than 36,000 inhabitants. Yet, located in a valley, in the southern island of Kyūshū (Kumamoto Prefecture), it will captivate those who are fascinated by rural Japan. The city is famous for both its river rafting in the Kuma-gawa river and its wonderful hot springs (said to be sometimes visited by Japanese monkeys). The small island in the middle of the river offers a perfect place for picnics, camping and family activities, as well as a panoramic view of the surrounding mountains.

The Aoiaso (Shinto) shrine in Hitoyoshi is one of the most precious treasures of Japan. Its annual festival takes place in October and smaller shrines are carried by groups of people (foreigners are welcome to join) in a parade from the Aoiaso shrine to the castle ruins, in celebration of the rice harvest. Carrying a shrine can prove to be particularly difficult for tall foreigners, but the repeating motivational shouting and the frequent stops a long the way to drink beer make it an agreeable experience. In the end, the smaller shrines are carried back to the Aoiaso shrine, where a ritual to carry the shrine back and forth in the right angle takes place for about 15 minutes.

For those who love a good drink, Hitoyoshi will offer a wide variety of the local Shochu – a liquor made out of sweet potato or rice, also used in the making of plum wine. Other places to visit in Hitoyoshi include the Ghost temple (Eikokuji), the Craft Park Ishino Koen, the caves, and a variety of small temples and shrines spread around the city. Best time to visit: Autumn or Spring.

Un-Sun Karuta (うんすんカルタ)

September 11, 2010 – Hitoyoshi, Japan

(Photo by: Michael Hofmeyr)

The Un-Sun Karuta (うんすんカルタ), named after its two highest cards, was brought to the Japanese island of Kyūshū by the Portuguese in the mid-16th century. Its four original suits, of 15 cards each, still retain their Portuguese names – pau (for paus), is(u) (for espadas), kotsu (for copas) and ouro (for ouros). One additional suit, Guru, was added by the Japanese in the early 1700’s (end of Genroku, beginning of Hohei Era). The most common version of the game – Hachi-nin Meri – is played by eight players divided in two teams of four members each. The ultimate goal of the game is to score the greater number of tricks (or hands) in a total of 8 rounds.

The Un-Sun Karuta was nearly lost in the 1700s when gambling was forbidden in the whole of Japan (up to today), surviving only in Hitoyoshi. The game was designated Kumamoto cultural heritage in 1965 and, after its revival in 1974, it became a national renowned card game with teams from all over the country disputing a championship in the beginning of October. The championship takes place in Hitoyoshi in a cosy tatami room decorated with Portuguese maps, coins and tiles gathered throughout the years. In 2004, this annual event counted with the presence of the Portuguese Ambassador in Japan.

An article on the Un-Sun Karuta will follow after this year’s championship, October 10.

Opening

Samuel Langhorne Clemens, born in 1835 and commonly known as Mark Twain, wrote:

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness."

Keeping this in mind, I have finally decided to create a blog where I will hopefully be able to share some of the wonders the world has to offer!