Hanafuda page

This is a fairly popular game in Hawaii and the cards are usually available in some of the general merchandise stores. Read through my on-line copy of the rule book for more information on this particular type of game, played with these very colorful cards.

While living and working on the island of Maui (in Hawaii), where I first encountered these cards and the game of Sakura, I found a book in a library which showed that there were other, much more complicated, types of games which also used these cards.

The many varieties of plants and animals (and one human) depicted on the cards are taken from Japanese lore and experience. For example, the suit of matsu (which begins the calender year at January) is named for the pine tree, always green and a symbol of longevity, even immortality. Combined with the pine tree on one card (right) is the red-crowned crane which symbolizes fidelity (these birds are said to have the same mate for life).

Though my experience and knowledge are limited, I will share some of the explanations I have read and heard about the themes shown on a few of these colorful cards:

The ume, or plum, is the first fruit tree to bloom as the winter retreats. Soon after, the the cherry (sakura) trees bloom and parties are held in the fragrant orchards, with curtains hung from the flowering boughs (see image at top of this page). Next, the wisteria vines (fuji) put out their bunches of flowers; these are sometimes referred to as 'black beans' by Hawaii's players.

As the weather remains warm, the iris (ayame) put forth around the ponds. Shortly after that, the tree rose, or botan, bloom, drawing the attention of people and insects alike. With summer beginning to exert its power, the bush clover (hagi, sometimes called 'red beans') becomes the next plant to catch the eye. Another name for this suit, aka, refers to this red color.

With the summer at full strength, the flowers are replaced (right) by the wide fields of hay, lighted at night by the moon (tsuki). But, with autumn not far off, the chrysanthemum, or kiku, begins to show its colors. The card at the left, often called the 'rice bowl,' is supposed to represent a sake cup. It has some hiragana characters written in it which refer to a tale of eternal youth. ( I found this definition on-line. Search for "kiku".)

As leaves turn colors, the deer (shika) is a reminder of the end of the growing season. Following soon is the rain (ame). This suit sports the only person depicted in this set of cards, holding an umbrella. Finally, the paulownia (kiri) closes the cycle. Its chief card is often called 'The Chicken' though it is supposed to represent the Japanese equivalent of our phoenix, a reminder of renewal in the new year and cycle to come.

Several of the cards have ribbons represented on them. Three of these ribboned cards make up one of the yakus explained in the rule book and have writing on them, again in hiragana. These are reminiscent of the small prayer banners sometimes hung in trees and left at shrines.

There is one card included that has a blank, white face. This card is not used in the game of Sakura. In some of the more complicated types of games, six players are needed and all 49 cards are dealt out. The player who gets the white card has to sit out the round. The cards are then reshuffled and dealt out to the remaining five players. Again, the player with the white card is out of the round. Now the blank card is removed from the deck and the game proceeds with only four players.

Any comments or corrections are appreciated. E-mail me at makuabob@hotmail.com

Hopefully, more can be added to enrich the stories which accompany these unusual playing cards.

(Need an on-line Japanese to English dictionary? Try this one: http://linear.mv.com/cgi-bin/j-e/sjis/dict.)

	KINTENGU
	HOW TO PLAY HANAFUDA (GAME OF SAKURA)

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HISTORY OF HANAFUDA (GAME OF SAKURA)

Ever since the ancient days in Japan, refined games such as "Kai-Awase", "Hana-Awase", "Uta-Awase", "Ohgi-Awase", etc., were played by the people in the capital, however, in the 18th year of Tenmon (1549) when St. Francisco Xavier arrived in Japan, the crew of the ship brought over a deck of cards from Europe and the card game became very popular among the people fond of singularity. In the 10th year of Kanei (1633) when the Close Door Policy was passed in Japan, the use of foreign cards were prohibited and although it is not known who started it, someone cudgeled his brains and devised a card called "Unsun Karuta". The "Unsun Karuta" which is believed to be the origin of the present Hanafuda was of oriental designs depicting Chinese Warriors, dragons, spear, armor, etc., because during this period of National Isolation, anyone seen playing with an European deck of cards was branded as a follower of Christanity.

A deck of the first "Unsun Karuta" consisted of 75 cards but later the game was simplified by reducing the number of cards to 48 in order to popularize the game.

From the later part of Edo Era through Meiwa, Anei and Tenmei Era (1764-1788) a card game called "Mekuri Karuta" consisting of 48 cards (4 sets consisting of 12 cards each) was most popular, but in Kansei Era (1791) a law was passed to prohibit the "Mekuri Karuta" because this card was used for gambling.

After this game of "Mekuri Karuta" was prohibited, a new card game called "Kabu Fuda" consisting of 40 cards (4 sets consisting of 10 cards each) was devised and this card game became popular after the ban on "Mekuri Karuta" but soon this card game was also prohibited and since then it was a continuous rotation of new card game and of prohibiting card games. But from Bunsei Era through Tenpo Era another new type of card made its appearance as people began to realize that the method of playing must be altered in view of the repeated ban and the general public strongly demanded a genuine Japanese type of card game such as the refined "Kai-Awase", "Tori-Awase" of the Muromachi Era and as a result of this public demand, the present "Hanafuda" was finally introduced to the general public.

1. Learn the suits and the points (See illustration).

(Jan.)	(Feb.)	(March)	(April)	(May)	(June)	(July)	(August)	(Sept.)	(Oct.)	(Nov.)	(Dec.)
Matsu (Pine)	Ume (Plum)	Sakura (Cherry Blossom)	Fuji (Wisteria)	Ayame (Iris)	Botan (Rose)	Hagi (or Aka) (clover)	Tsuki (Moon)	Kiku (Chrysan- themum)	Shika (Deer)	Ame (Rain)	Kiri (Paulow- nia)
20 pts.	10 pts.	20 pts.	10 pts.	10 pts.	10 pts.	10 pts.	20 pts.	10 pts.	10 pts.	10 pts.	20 pts.
10 pts.	5 pts.	10 pts.	5 pts.	5 pts.	5 pts.	5 pts.	5 pts.	5 pts.	5 pts.	5 pts.	10 pts.
0 pts.	0 pts.	0 pts.	0 pts.	0 pts.	0 pts.	0 pts.	0 pts.	0 pts.	0 pts.	5 pts.	0 pts.
0 pts.	0 pts.	0 pts.	0 pts.	0 pts.	0 pts.	0 pts.	0 pts.	0 pts.	0 pts.	0 pts. GAJI	0 pts.

2. Learn the combinations called yakus (see illustration). Note that Rain and Chicken suits are not in yakus. (they count only in the score.)

Hanafuda can be played by two, three, four, and up to six players.

(a) If two people plays, each player is dealt eight cards and eight cards are placed face up on the table. (At the end, there will be eight cards left in the pile on the table).

(b) If three people play, each player is dealt seven cards and six cards are placed face up on the table. (At the end, there will be nothing left of the pile in the center.)

(c) If four people play, play partners. Each player is dealt five cards and eight cards are placed face up on the table. (At the end, there will be nothing left in the pile on the center.)

(d) Another variation called "Oi-Bana" (Chase) can be played by three up to six players. Each player is dealt eight cards and eight cards are placed face up on the table. In the case of six players, each player is dealt 8 cards and player having "AME" with umbrella (5 points) automatically places his hand on the table face up. Each player then calculates his chance and bids counter-clockwise for the right to play. Bidding starts with the player on the right of the dealer. The two highest bidders keep their hands with the rest placing their cards in a pile in the center of the table to draw. If no one bids, the last player and the dealer plays. The second highest bidder is the "Oya". Proceed to play as in (a) above.

After the deal, the rest of the pack of pile is placed face down in the center of the table to draw on. The game is played counter-clockwise, and the dealer (CALLED "OYA") starts by matching a card from his hand with one on the table in the same suit if he can.

If only one of the cards has a count, place the card with count, face up in front of you or your partner, and discard the non-counting card to the "rubbish" pile.

If both cards have a count place both cards face up in front of you or your partner.

If you cannot match a card in your hand with one on the table, add a card from your hand to those face up on the table.

In any case, draw a card from the pile. If it will match a card face up on the table, you can add the cards with count to those in front of you, discarding the noncounting cards to the rubbish pile. If you cannot match the card you have just drawn, add it to those face up on the table.

The object of the play is to make as many combinations or yakus as possible. Yakus are as follows :

Tsukihana				Noarashi				Sugawara
sakura	tsuki	kiku		shika	tsuki	hagi		sakura	matsu	ume
Sugawara				Awo				Awo
sakura	ume	matsu		kiku	botan	shika		kiku	botan	shika
Kusa				Kusa
ayame	fuji	hagi		ayame	fuji	hagi

Note that some of the cards (20 pt. Cherry, 5 pt. Mum, etc) are used in 2 yakus. If you have 2 combinations by using the same card, you can count them each as a yaku.

If the GAJI or Joker is in your hand, you can pick up any card on the table that you wish. If the GAJI is one of the cards placed face up on the table, it is lost. If there are any cards left on the table after the last person has drawn, the last card of the suit which was taken with the GAJI goes to that player.

COUNT
For each yaku, you get 50 pts. If only one person or partners, have a yaku, the other players must deduct 50 pts. from their score. Count your score according to the count of each card. Player or partners with highest number of points is the winner, in case of a tie, dealer (OYA) wins. In the case of "Oi-Bana" (Chase) (d) the amount of prizes involved is multiplied by the highest bid. If player or partner has over 50 points more than opponents, it is called CHU and pays off two times the amount or prize involved. If the points are over 100 pt. more than opponents, it is called BASA and pays off three times the amount of prizes involved. Each game is a game in itself, not a continuous score as in Canasta. The winner deals.

So! Now you are fully knowledgeable about the rules and object of Sakura, as played with hana fuda (flower cards).