A card game passed down in Hitoyoshi, enjoyed by 8 players sitting in a circle
How to play Un-Sun karuta
Festival information
EVENT INFORMATION- Location
- Kajiyamachi
- Area
- Kumamoto Prefecture・Hitoyoshi City(From Tokyo: approx. 1 h 50 min–2 h 10 min · flight time only)Prefecture-level estimate to a main station or airport, not the venue. Airport access, check-in and onward travel are extra; remote areas and islands can take much longer.
- Required number of participants
- 8 players
- Last updated
- 2026/11/11
Un-Sun karuta, passed down in Hitoyoshi and Kuma, came from Nagasaki in the early Edo period and is a Western-style card game adapted to Japanese culture. The game uses 75 cards in 5 suits and is played by 8 people split into 2 teams, sitting in a circle.
About How to play Un-Sun karuta
Un-Sun karuta was brought by foreign ships that arrived in Nagasaki in the early Edo period. It spread throughout Japan as it was adapted to Japanese culture, becoming Japan’s first Western-style card game.
After the Kansei 3 (1791) luxury goods ban, it remained only in Hitoyoshi and Kuma.
Today, it is passed down in Kajiyamachi, Hitoyoshi City, and is designated a Kumamoto Prefecture Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property.
Festival highlights
The karuta deck has 75 cards in 5 suits. Along with number cards from 1 to 9, it has 6 picture cards: Un, Sun, Rei, Kaba, Sota, and Robai.
8 players split into 2 teams and sit in a circle, alternating between opponents and teammates.
A highlight of the game is how players throw cards into the center, play cards one after another starting with the cards dealt to them, and then take the next card.
A card game passed down in Hitoyoshi, enjoyed by 8 players sitting in a circle
What to expect
In the game, players start with the cards dealt to them and play cards one after another. Meanwhile, each player gathers the cards they have won, sorting them by team.
At the end, the teams count their cards, and the team with more cards wins.
Since 8 players split into 2 teams and sit in a circle, the game is enjoyed by following both the play and the outcome for each team.
How to take part
必要人数：8人
Location and access
- Venue and address
Kajiyamachi, Hitoyoshi City
Address Kajiyamachi, Hitoyoshi City
Accommodation and hotels PR
Showing nearby accommodation.
Prices and availability are current at the time of retrieval. For multi-night stays, only the first night’s price is shown. Confirm the final price and directions to the venue with the booking provider. Select your dates again when using the area search link. Search area: within 3 km of Central Kumamoto Prefecture / Hitoyoshi City (the search is not centered on the festival venue)
Nearby attractions
人吉城
熊本県人吉市にあった城
青井阿蘇神社
熊本県人吉市にある神社
Origins and History of How to play Un-Sun karuta
Un-Sun karuta was brought from Nagasaki by foreign ships in the early Edo period and spread throughout Japan as it was adapted to Japanese culture.
It is said that after the Kansei 3 (1791) luxury goods ban, it remained only in Hitoyoshi and Kuma.
It was designated a Kumamoto Prefecture Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property in Showa 40 February 25.
How to play Un-Sun karuta at a Glance
Un-Sun karuta is a Western-style card game that came from Nagasaki in the early Edo period and spread as it was adapted to Japanese culture.
Today, it is passed down in Kajiyamachi, Hitoyoshi City, as a game preserved in Hitoyoshi and Kuma.
Played with a 75-card deck in 5 suits, it has 8 players sit in a circle in 2 teams, take cards, and determine the winner by the number of cards each team has collected.
Sources and references
Japanese Festivals.jp Editorial Team
Celebrating local culture and helping you discover a side of Japan you never knew.
Article updated: 2026/11/11
