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

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.