Irinokichi ( 入ノ 吉) - Nintendo

 

"入ノ 吉 / 入の 吉 " ( Irinokichi) , Nintendo - 48c. + Onifuda + blank 

 

    Another Kabu deck, with the rather pleasing name of "coming-in-luck"  this particular pattern differs from the others by several features.

Firstly, this deck uses the suit of batons, much like the Kabufuda . In fact, one could imagine that the kabufuda evolved from just such a deck, as the pip cards are almost identical.

  Secondly, unlike the other decks, this deck has all 3 courts. However, it is interesting to note that the knave has a rather realistic depiction of a person, unlike the knight and king, which are abstract forms



 

Key to Positions of cards in picture below:

Top row : 7, 8, 9, 10, [ knave] , [ knight] , [king]

Bottom row: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

 

 The pip cards.

 

from L-R, onifuda, special ace, special 4

Note the fact that the silver overprints on the cards are nearly transparent with age. The red on the onifuda has streaks on it, perhaps indicative of stencilling?

 

Daiini - Nintendo

Daiini ( 大二) , Nintendo, 40c. + Oni-fuda + blank

 Again, we have another Kabu deck, Daiini- "Big Two" . The structure of this dck is not very different from the other decks of it's family, but several features make it worthy of mention:

1- The court card and ace have now been further abstracted, to such a point that they now are a few unrecognisable blobs of colour, only ( vaguely) retaining their original shape . It appears that I have displayed the knave ( 1st image, 1st row, 5th from left) upside down, but the design is so abstract, IMO, it makes little difference!

2- The 4s have a little circle in the middle of their 4 pips; It contains the characters "大二" - Daiini- thus spelling out the pattern's name. The deuces ( 2s) reflect this, as their pips are rather large when compared with the others

( top row) - 6, 7 , 8, 9, ( Knave)

( bottom row) ( ace) , 2, 3, 4, 5

L-R - Onifuda, special ace, special 3, special 4

The "special" ace, 3, and 4. are not very far removed from other such decks , save the use of gold instead of silver ink. Note the Onifuda. The demon's eyes are framed in gold ink, thus giving it the rather comical appearence of wearing spectacles!

The knave displayed one way, and then another. I leave it to you to decide which card is " Right side Up"

Kabu cards- "Komaru" ( Nintendo)

Komaru (小丸)- Nintendo 40c. + onifuda + spare

We have another deck of kabu cards, this one known as the "Komaru" - small circle. This deck is identical on structure to the Mefuda previously mentioned, but the differig illustations are the point of interest here. Whilst the mefuda look like the the work of a child or a very sloppy colourer, this deck is less abstract, and the circles more... circular.

 Here the ace retains a more or less serpentine form, as as opposed to the simple black card with 2 lines of the mefuda. However, the court card here is less abstract than the mefua, bearing the vague appearence of a scowling soldier wearing a hat .The 2s are also encased in a frame, along with the central pip of the 5s.

 Again, one of the aces, threes and fours recive special decoration.

-Komaru-

Key:

1st row ( L-R) 6, 7, 8, 9, ( knave)

2nd row ( L-R)  (ace),2, 3,4, 5,

"Special cards" 4 of batons ( replaces one of the 4s), ace, and 3( L-R)

Kabu cards- "Mefuda" ( Nintendo)

Mefuda (目札 )-Nintendo, , 40c. + onifuda and blank
 We Now come to another species of japanese playing cards, known as the "Kabu"cards. These cards are basically single suited decks. That is, the deck comprises of one suit ( Usually coins or batons) repeated 4 times. There are usually 10 ranks in each suit, to give a deck of 40 cards.

 The particular deck shown here is known as the "mefuda", "( Eye-cards) , and gives a good introduction to this species of cards. The suit used here is the suit of coins, here corrupted to blobs of black paint., from 1 to 9. The tenth card is the Knave (or perhaps a cavalier in this case, as it has 4 legs), presenting the appearence of a few blobs of colour preched upon four legs  

 There are 3 identical series of these 9 cards. However, there is a fourth  series, in which some of the ranks are secorated with silver overprints. Usually the ace, trey (3) and the four of that suit recive that decoration. However, In decks like this one which use the suit of coins, the four in the special suit tends to be replaced, rather inexplicably, by a four of batons.

 Another curious ( and rather delightful) feature is the inscription on the duces (2s) treys (3s) and fours of each suit, along with the special ace. The inscription reads "金錢不用"- Use no gold or money"*, A rather splendid prohibition against gambling

-Mefuda-

1st row ( L-R)-- 6,7, 8,9,(knave) 

2nd row (L-R)-- (Ace), 2, 3, 4, 5

3rd row( L-R)--- Onifuda, Special ace, special 3,special 4

* Or, if you were to make a rhyme of it

"Gentle gamster, I pray that ye

use no gold or silver with me "

Kurofuda - Nintendo

"Kurofuda" ( 黑札) - Nintendo, 48c. + "onifuda" + Blank

   We now come to the second type of mekuri karuta, the "Kurofuda", or "black cards" . Looking at the cards, it is easy to see why they got the nickname. The features of the deck are almost completely obscured by large areas of black or red paint; so much so that the only reliable method of identifying the the cards is by the shape of the blobs of paint.( Unlike the akahachi, where the features of the deck are for the most part, just blobs of paint, this deck has printed outlines, which are painted over with blobs of paint)
  Sylvia Mann states that this deck is the closest deck to the portugese originals. In some ways, this is correct. When one looks closely at the cards. you can see outlines of faces, &c. which have been covered by the black paint ( if you look carefully, you can see them in the images below)  . These faces do indeed reseble actual human figures ( unlike the abstract forms of the akahachi)
Another curious feature of the deck is the lack of silver overprints.

Compare: akahachi- http://anthonylesq.blogspot.sg/2012/12/akahachi-nintendo.html

Key to position of cards:

top row- 7, 8,  9,  (Knave),  ( Cavalier), (King)

Bottom row---Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Swords or isu

As you can see, the colour in these images is applied more or less iin total disregard to the outlines of the figures. Note the shape of the swords. In the "Akahachi", the swords are just red lines, But here, they are more realisticaly dipicted.Also note the bird on the 2 of swords. You can also see the legs & lower half of the king's body.

Hau or batons

As with the akahachi, the main difference between the swords & batons is the colouring. Note the cavalier. The legs of his mount are visible, untouched by paint.

Ôru, or coins

The pips in this suit still remarkably look like it's european counterpart ( The star-like design in particular). If you look closely, the three court figures hold a starlike coin.

Koppu or cups

The cups in this suit are rounder and more bulbous than that of the Akahachi. You can see the lower part of the knave's body.

Compare: Akahachi

Akahachi- Nintendo

"Akahachi" ( 赤八) , 48c. + Blank & "oni-fuda"

This deck, and the following few decks that I shall present, are the so-called 'mekuri' patterns. found in Japan, the patterns are local adaptations of the portugese playing cards introduced by traders, &c. However, In time, the designs grew to be more abstract, a process perhaps much aided by the fact that they were banned ( to disguise the cards) ,along with isolation form foregin traders.

In 1973, Sylvia Mann, in her book "the dragons of portugal" , stated that there were ten different kinds of mekuri patterns being produced in Japan. However, 39 years later, I could only find two., and all in one shop in Tokyo ( Okuno karuta )

The cards introduced by the traders were Latin-suited, that is, having suits of cups, coins, batons and swords, much like ( but not identical to)  ones used in Italy and spain to this day. As you can see, the Japanese more or less kept the shape of the suits, but the court cards have been greatly abstracted, only vaguely resembling human forms .On some ( presumedly important) cards, you can see silver overprints, perhaps to make them more visible in dimly lit rooms.
 Compare: Kurofuda - http://anthonylesq.blogspot.sg/

Key to position of cards:

top row- 7, 8,  9,  (Knave),  ( Cavalier), (King)

Bottom row---Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

The suit of Batons, or "hau"

A you can see, the court cards only vaguely resemble human forms, being mostly comprised of  mass of red and black lines. Nevertheless, on some of the court cards, behind all that paint, a face can still be made out.

Also note the heavy silver overprints on the 1-6 of batons ( bottom row), and the court cards ( Top row, 3rd to 6th cards from left). The 6 of batons ( bottom row, 6th from left) , has the word 壽 ( lonevity) on it.

The suit of swords or "Isu"

The suit of isu or swords is distinguished from the suit of hau only by it's colour, the former being red, and the latter Black. Note the chinese numbers on the values of 4 to 9, and the Buddha on the 2 . The 8 ( top row, 2nd from right).

Cups, or Koppu

The pips of this suit do indeed resemble cups, or rather flat lidded vessels. The Cavalier ( top row, 4th from left), preserves the vague form of a man astride a horse - note the four legs which support the abstract figure.



Coins, or ôru
Again, the form of the suit somwhat resembles the conis of the priginal cards. The Ace ( bottom row, 1st from left), takes the vague form of a serpent or dragon, an animal which was found on the aces of the portugese cards ( see http://www.wopc.co.uk/belgium/dragons3.html)

Also shown is the oni-fuda, a card which bears the visage of a goblin.

Hanafuda "都の花" (Nintendo)

The flowers that bloom in the spring;
Tra la!

bring promise of merry sunshine...

( Gilbert and Sullivan- the Mikado )

Hanafuda, "都の花", Nintendo, 48c. +1 spare

The subject of the hanafuda, amongst card-collectors is a very famous one. To cut a long story short, After playing cards were introduced to Japan ( and their subsequent banning) , some smart players decided to change the 12  ranks of the card decks into 12 series ( "suits", ) of 4 subjects each , the subjects being 12 flowers , one for each of the 12 months. In spite of frequent bans, the cards survived to the present day, and still maintain their popularity.

Now, I have seperated the deck into 3 images. Image 1 contains all the "suits" form Jaunary to May, image 2, the flowers from june to october, and the last image, november and december.
Note the following:
1- note the "thunder" card on the november suit ( 3rd image, 1st row, 1st card on left). Under the large black blobs, note the stylized thunder-cloud
2- note the 3 cards of the "december" suit ( 3rd image, 2nd row, 1st 3 cards fr. left).
the maker's name is usualy put on them.

kabufuda ( nintendo)

kabufuda by nintendo. 40 cards + 1 spare.

The following deck is but the last survivor of one of the most amzing journeys in the history of cards: the introduction of cards into japan. as the story is quite long, I shall post it seperately. http://anthonylesq.blogspot.com/2011/11/how-cards-came-to-japan.html
Anyway, the important bit is this: When the portugese came to japan, the locals copied, and played with the portugese cards with gusto, developong the their own local versions. However, at some period of time, one bright spark decided to repeat one suit of the four-suited deck  four times,  for use with counting games, similar to baccarat. Some decks used the suit of coins , and others like the kabufuda here, the suit of batons.

The deck you see below consists of 4 series of 10 subjects, viz: ace-9 & a jack. ,  ( see caption on 1st pic)
in one of theese series, however, the ace and the 4 are more elaborate than the other 3 ( see second pic)
the game that is played with this deck is much like baccarat.

top , R-L  ace, 2,3,4,5

bottom , R-L - 6,7,8,9, knave/ jack ( countas as 10)

the more elacorate ace ( far right) , and four ( middle), with what appears to be a medal on it.

the wrapper ( with a pic of Napoleon ) is on the fal left.