Photo/Illutration Women dressed in traditional attire from the Heian Period (794-1185) take part in the first “karuta” card-snatching game of the New Year at Kyoto’s Yasakajinja shrine on Jan. 3. (Yoshiaki Arai)

KYOTO--A ceremonial event to mark the New Year featured women in gorgeous Heian Period (794-1185) court attire giving a public demonstration of the popular “karuta” card-snatching game at Yasakajinja shrine here. 

While the first half of a Hyakunin-isshu “waka” poem was being read aloud on Jan. 3, the women tried to be the first to grab cards based on words to the second half of the poem.

The annual event, the 53rd to date, takes place at Yasakajinja shrine in the city’s Higashiyama Ward because it venerates the deity Susanoo no Mikoto, who composed the first waka poem of 31 syllables, according to Japanese mythology.

It was held on a Noh stage on shrine grounds as New Year worshippers visited the shrine. The 12 card players aged between 9 and 29 belong to the Kinki branch of the All Japan Karuta Association and paired off for the competition.

Afterward, a public performance of competitive karuta was held.

Sumika Okada, 18, a member of the karuta club at Kyoto University who participated in the competitive event, said: “I have lived in Kyoto for a long time, and this was something I had been longing to do. It was a good start to the New Year.”

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