Otedama

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Otedama (御手玉^?) is a traditional Japanese children's game. Small bean bags are tossed and juggled in a game similar to jacks. Although it is generally a social game, Otedama can also be played alone. It is rarely competitive and often accompanied by singing.

History

Otedama was most popular among young girls in post-World War II Japan. The bean bags, called ojami, were sewn together from strips of cloth and contained small azuki beans. During war times, parents could smuggle extra food to their hungry children inside them.

Unfortunately, Otedama is dying out today. The songs that accompanied them have been all but forgotten, and most of the next generation of children have never heard of such a game.

How to play

Specific game play varies widely from region to region. One variation, transmitted to Hawaii by the children of Japanese descent, requires three bean bags: two small ones, and one large one called the kini. Play proceeds in rounds which become increasingly more difficult as the game goes on.

The first round begins with one hand.

• throw the kini into the air, pick up a bean bag, catch the kini in the same hand
• throw the kini into the air, drop the bean bag, catch the kini

• throw the kini into the air, pick up the second bean bag, catch the kini
• throw the kini into the air, drop the second bean bag, catch the kini

(Do not move the bean bags.)

• throw the kini into the air, pick up both bean bags, catch the kini
• throw the kini into the air, drop the bean bags, catch the kini

During the second round, place your left hand (if you are right-handed) out in front of you, a flat open palm, oriented facing your right hand.

• throw the kini into the air, tap the first bean bag against your left palm let it drop, catch the kini
• throw the kini into the air, tap the second bean bag against your left palm let it drop, catch the kini

(Do not move the bean bags.)

• throw the kini into the air, tap both bean bags against your left palm let them drop, catch the kini

In the third round,

• starting with the kini, pick it up with two fingers (thumb and index) swing it up and over the back of your hand
• pick up the first bean bag with two fingers, swing it up and over the back of your hand
• pick up the second bean bag with two fingers, swing it up and over the back of your hand

Now begins the “doubles” rounds which are variations of the first three. In the fourth round, with one hand,

• throw the kini into the air, pick up a bean bag, catch the kini in the same hand
• throw the kini into the air, THROW DOWN the bean bag, catch the kini

• throw the kini into the air, pick up the second bean bag, catch the kini
• throw the kini into the air, throw down the second bean bag, catch the kini

(Do not move the bean bags.)

• throw the kini into the air, pick up both bean bags, catch the kini
• throw the kini into the air, throw down the bean bags, catch the kini

During the fifth round, place your left hand (if you are right-handed) out in front of you, a flat open palm, oriented facing your right hand, like in round two.

• throw the kini into the air, tap the first bean bag TWICE against your left palm let it drop, catch the kini
• throw the kini into the air, tap the second bean bag twice against your left palm let it drop, catch the kini

(Do not move the bean bags.)

• throw the kini into the air, tap both bean bags twice against your left palm let them drop, catch the kini

In the sixth round,

• throw the kini into the air, catch it on the back of your right hand (if you are right-handed)
• wedge the kini between your fingers
• pick up the first bean bag with two fingers swing it up and catch it on the back of your hand with the kini still wedged between your other fingers
• drop the first bean bag
• pick up the second bean bag with two fingers swing it up and catch it on the back of your hand with the kini still wedged between your other fingers
• drop the second bean bag

The seventh round is called the sandwich and is easier to do if your bean bags are flat.

• stack all three bean bags with the kini in the middle and balance them on the back of your hand
• toss them carefully, flip your hand over, and try to catch them on the front of your hand without the stack falling over
• toss and flip, try to catch the stack on the back of your hand again without the stack falling over

In the eighth and final round, with the two bean bags on the floor in front of you

• toss the kini into the air, pick up both the bean bags, catch the kini
• toss the kini and the bean bags into the air, catch the kini, quickly place your forearm flat on the ground so that the two bean bags land on either side of your arm

References

• Onishi, Denishiro (2003). Otedama: Traditional Japanese Juggling Toys and Games. Heian International, Tokyo.