How to play

Four games, one box. Start easy and level up.

Karuta is a traditional Japanese card game: one person reads a card out loud, and everyone races to grab the matching picture. No experience needed, and the rules take a minute to learn.

2+ players
1 reader
Use all the cards, or just a few

Before you start

Set up in three steps.

Every card comes in a pair: a picture card (えふだ, efuda) that goes on the table, and a reading card (よみふだ, yomifuda) that the reader holds.

Step 1
Choose your deck

Green for the 45 basic hiragana, red for the 59 special sounds, or both. Beginners can pick just a few favorite cards.
Step 2
Spread the picture cards

Lay them face up on a table or the floor, where every player can reach.
Step 3
Pick a reader

One person shuffles the matching reading cards and holds the stack. A parent or teacher is perfect for the first games.

Choose a game

Four ways to play.

First game

Game A · Green cards

The basic hiragana from あ to ん. The best place to start.

Use the green picture cards and their reading cards. There are 45, but you can play with just your favorites.
Spread the picture cards face up on a table or the floor.
The reader reads a reading card out loud.
Grab the picture card that matches.
Repeat until the cards are gone. Whoever has the most cards wins.

Try Game D

Play a quick memory match.

Turn over two cards. When a picture card meets the reading card that starts with the same letter, the pair is yours. Green-backed cards are picture cards; white-backed cards are reading cards.

0 of 4 pairs found · 0 turns