The world's first English version of the traditional Japanese poem card game Hyakunin Isshu Karuta.
Hyakunin Isshu [One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each] is a collection of 100 short poems, known as tanka. Tanka is a form of Japanese traditional poetry comprised of just five lines with a total of 31 syllables grouped in lines of 5, 7, 5, 7 and 7 syllables. The first three lines, composed of 17 syllables, are called "kaminoku," and the final two lines composed of 14 syllables are called "shimonoku." These groups of lines create a beautiful rhythm.
To play Hyakunin Isshu karuta, someone reads out a poem, and a player must identify the card—faster than the opponents—with only the second half of the poem displayed on it, just by listening to the first half of the poem.
Contrary to its image as a beautiful poetry game, competitive karuta is a tough game, often likened to the martial arts. The cards are laid out on the tatami mat floor, and the players face each other across the cards. As soon as the reader begins to read a poem, the players, quick as a flash, identify the corresponding card. The player slaps the card with his or her hand producing a resounding thud, and sometimes the card flips dramatically up into the air.
