During the New Year, Japanese people maintain many traditional games with the meaning of praying for good luck, exorcising evil spirits and connecting families. The 3 most familiar games are Hanetsuki, Takoage and Fukuwarai, each game is associated with ancient cultural stories.
Hanetsuki is a New Year's shuttlecock game with Hagoita wooden rackets and Hane shuttlecocks made from balls. Players can play alone, trying to keep the shuttlecock from falling as long as possible, or play in pairs, hitting back and forth until one side lets the shuttlecock touch the ground.
Losers will have ink brushed on their faces, creating a fun atmosphere. This game was introduced from China to Japan during the Muromachi period and gradually gained the meaning of exorcism.
The bồ hòn fruit is called Kanji "Mukuroji", implying that children are healthy, so Hagoita rackets are often given to girls during the first Tet holiday as a lucky charm. Japanese people believe that playing Hanetsuki at the beginning of the year helps dispel bad luck and avoid diseases.
Takoage, or kite flying, is also a popular activity in the early spring days. From the Heian period, this game was associated with the aristocracy, then spread among the people during the Edo period. Japanese people believe that the higher the kite flies, the easier it is for wishes to reach the gods, and children will grow up healthy.
Traditional Japanese kites, called Kaito, are usually square, made from bamboo frame paper, painted with martial artists or Kabuki artists. Kite flying is not only meant to wish but also creates exciting "kite fights". A famous festival is Hamamatsu Gassen in Shizuoka Prefecture, where hundreds of large kites are released into the sky.
Fukuwarai is a face puzzle game that causes laughter during Tet. Players cover their eyes and arrange their eyes, nose, and mouth on pre-drawn faces according to the suggestions of everyone around. When opening their eyes, funny faces often make the whole group laugh. This game appeared from the Meiji era, based on the belief that smiles will bring good luck into the house in the new year.
The 3 games mentioned above are still maintained as part of Tet memories, contributing to preserving Japanese traditional culture.
