{"product_id":"nakou-shoten-8-1820","title":"Iroha Karuta, Japanese Card Game","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis delightful uncut sheet of \u003cem\u003eIroha Karuta\u003c\/em\u003e captures a centuries-old Japanese tradition of combining play with education. Dating back to the Edo period, Iroha Karuta was designed to help children learn the Japanese hiragana syllabary while introducing familiar proverbs and lessons through memorable illustrations.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe name \u003cem\u003eiroha\u003c\/em\u003e comes from an ancient Japanese Buddhist poem in which each syllable traditionally appeared only once. Before the adoption of the modern ordering of the Japanese syllabary, the poem served as a familiar way of organizing and teaching Japanese sounds. In Iroha Karuta, each card corresponds to a syllable and a \u003cem\u003ekotowaza\u003c\/em\u003e, or Japanese proverb, reinforced through a colorful illustration.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePublished by Kyokudo of Tokyo during the early Showa period, this complete sheet contains 48 illustrated panels featuring an array of subjects from Japanese everyday life and folklore, including merchants, samurai, children at play, animals, Mount Fuji, and domestic scenes. The folk-style imagery and warm palette of reds, yellows, and blues reflect the colorful commercial art produced for children during the period.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eKaruta was traditionally played during the Japanese New Year, when the cards would be cut apart and used as a matching game. One player reads a clue or proverb while the others race to identify the corresponding illustrated card. The tradition remains part of Japanese culture today, with several forms of karuta still played recreationally and competitively.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat makes this example particularly special is that it remains uncut. Most sheets were separated into individual cards and handled during play, making a complete surviving sheet a wonderful record of Japanese childhood, language, folk wisdom, and popular graphic design.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 15.25\" x 7.25\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very Good, Age-appropriate wear. Paper toning in accordance with the print's age. Marks\/stains as per photo. Wear around the edges and minor paper loss might be present in some prints. Please refer to each print's image to get a better understanding of the condition.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Authentic Vintage Posters","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45327583641715,"sku":"AP8468","price":140.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0088\/3005\/8556\/files\/edited_25fe2b15-fcb2-457a-a1e3-82fe764053d1.jpg?v=1786997760","url":"https:\/\/www.authenticvintageposters.com\/en-nl\/products\/nakou-shoten-8-1820","provider":"Authentic Vintage Posters","version":"1.0","type":"link"}