Glossary

Key terms used in Competitive Karuta, with Japanese script, romanization, and short English explanations. Based on the All Japan Karuta Association and official handbooks (e.g. Saitama Prefecture Karuta Association).

競技かるたkyōgi karuta

Competitive Karuta. The one-on-one card game using the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu playing cards (tori-fuda). Each match uses only 50 of the 100 cards (25 per player); the other 50 are not in play. You compete to take cards faster than your opponent. The player whose territory reaches 0 cards first wins.

競技線kyōgi-sen

The playing area. The boundary within which the cards are arranged. To take a card by the “cards-pushing” method, you swipe the matching card (and sometimes nearby cards) out of the kyogi-sen.

読札yomifuda

Reading cards. The 100 cards that show the full poem (Kami-no-ku and Shimo-no-ku). The reciter holds these and recites; they are not placed on the field.

取札torifuda

Playing cards. The set has 100 cards (one lower phrase per poem). Only 50 are used per match — 25 on each player’s side. Those 50 are laid on the field; players touch or swipe them to take them.

上の句kami no ku

The first half of the poem. The reciter reads this part (or enough to identify the poem). Players react when they recognize the poem from these syllables.

下の句shimo no ku

The second half of the poem. This text appears on the playing cards (torifuda). The reciter also reads the Shimo-no-ku of the previous card before reading the Kami-no-ku of the next.

百人一首Hyakunin Isshu

One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each. The classical poetry collection that forms the set of 100 poems used in Competitive Karuta. The “Ogura” version is the standard.

小倉百人一首Ogura Hyakunin Isshu

The Ogura version of the Hyakunin Isshu, compiled by Fujiwara no Teika. This is the fixed set used in official Competitive Karuta.

決まり字kimariji

The first syllable(s) of Kami-no-ku in which you can identify the poem being read. Once you know the kimariji, you do not have to remember the rest of the poem to play. Skilled players react as soon as they hear the kimariji.

一字決まりichi-ji gimari

One-syllable kimariji. Cards that can be identified by the first syllable of the poem. There are 7 such cards among the 100, often referred to as “Mu Su Me Fu Sa Ho Se” (むすめふさほせ) from their first syllables.

大山札ō-yama fuda

Cards that can be identified by the first 6 syllables. There are 6 such cards among the 100.

お手つきotetsuki

Foul. If a player touches any card in the territory that does not have the recited poem, it is a foul. As a penalty, the player receives one card from the opponent’s territory.

陣jin

Territory. The half of the field where each player’s 25 cards are placed. Each player has their own jin (自陣 jijin) and the opponent’s jin (敵陣 tekijin).

自陣jijin

Your own territory. The 25 cards on your side. The goal is to be the first to have 0 cards left in your territory — that is how you win.

敵陣tekijin

Opponent’s territory. When you take a card from the opponent’s territory, you give one card from your territory to the opponent (Okuri-fuda).

持ち札mochi-fuda

Your share of the cards. The 25 cards each player picks and arranges in three rows in front of them at the start of the game.

出札de-fuda

The card that is “out” — i.e. the matching card for the poem currently being read. When the de-fuda is in either territory, players compete to take it.

空札kara-fuda

The 50 cards not used in that match. One match uses only 50 of the 100 playing cards (25 per player); the other 50 are kara-fuda. “Kara” means “empty.” When a kara-fuda is read, no card on the field matches; players wait for the next poem.

序歌joka

Introduction poem. A poem read before the first game card, not from the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu. The reciter reads Kami-no-ku → Shimo-no-ku → Shimo-no-ku of the Joka, then after a one-second pause begins the first poem of the match. The All Japan Karuta Association uses the poem beginning “Naniwazu ni…”.

読手yomite

Reciter. The person who recites the poems from the reading cards. In official matches the reciter is neutral and follows the prescribed order.

送り札okuri-fuda

The card you give to your opponent when you take a card from the opponent’s territory, or when the opponent commits a foul. The opponent places it in their preferred row.

暗記時間anki jikan

Memorization time. The period (15 minutes) before the match when players look at the card layout to memorize positions. After 13 minutes, players may practice reaching but must not touch the cards.

定位置tei-ichi

Fixed position. A player’s preferred arrangement of cards in their territory. Each player may have a regular position for each card.

札押しfuda-oshi

A way to take a card by swiping the matching card out of the playing area (Kyogi-sen), often together with nearby cards.

払い手harai-te

The arm-moving way to swipe the matching card, sometimes with nearby cards, out of the playing area. One of the most common and effective ways to take a card in Competitive Karuta.

押さえ手osae-te

Touching the correct card directly (as opposed to swiping it out). A valid way to take a card.

突き手tsuki-te

Flicking the top-row card with your fingertip (e.g. middle finger) toward the opponent’s territory. Often used for cards in the front row.

囲い手kakoi-te

For cards with a long kimariji, guarding a possible matching card with your hand to obstruct the opponent’s hand.

ひっかけhikkake

When you are going to take a matching card at the top row of your opponent’s territory, or when your arm is coming back to your territory, your fingers mistakenly touch the top-row cards. This can result in a foul (Otetsuki).

友札tomo-fuda

Cards that share the first few syllables of kimariji. For example, poems beginning “Aki no ta no…” and “Aki kaze ni…” are “aki’s tomo-fuda” because both begin with “aki.” You must wait for more syllables to identify which card to take.

ダブdabu

From “double.” When you commit Otetsuki and your opponent takes the matching card from your territory, your opponent may send two cards from their territory to you (double penalty).

空ダブkara-dabu

When a Kara-fuda (a card not in the game) is read and you touch cards in both territories. That is treated as a double foul; your opponent gives you two cards.

セイムseimu

From “same.” You and your opponent touch the matching card at the same time. In that case, the player whose territory has the matching card takes the card.

共おてtomo-ote

You and your opponent both commit a foul on the same reading. In this case, neither gives a penalty card to the other.

取り損tori-zon

You take the matching card but also commit a foul (e.g. touch a wrong card). In that case the number of cards in your territory does not change, while the number in your opponent’s territory is reduced by one.

束勝ちtaba-gachi

“Taba” means stack, “gachi” (kachi) means win. Winning with more than 10 cards left in the opponent’s territory. The opposite is 束負け (taba-make): losing with more than 10 cards left in your own territory.

束負けtaba-make

Losing the game with more than 10 cards still in your territory. “Make” means to lose.

札fuda

Card. General word for the karuta cards (reading or playing).

畳tatami

Tatami. The traditional straw mat surface on which Competitive Karuta is played. Players sit or kneel and move to touch cards.

全日本かるた協会Zen Nihon Karuta Kyōkai

All Japan Karuta Association. The governing body for Competitive Karuta in Japan; it sets official rules, card specifications, and the Joka poem.