Karuta Hajime at Yasaka Shrine 2011 八坂神社 かるた始め式

Welcome Chihayafuru fans! Held every Jan. 3 at Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto, Japan, Karuta Hajime is the year's first karuta card game. Dressed in colorful Heian-Period kimono, Karuta players from the Nihon Karuta-in Hon-in organization in Kyoto play on Yasaka Shrine's Noh stage for about an hour from 1 pm. Photos: photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.p...

[@florenceyuen6001]

I'm becoming obsessed because of chihayafuru

[@123thof]

I've been trying to imagine the U.S. having an elegant, ritualistic and rigorous sport based upon LITERATURE.

[@SilicaAmulet]

I would literally hug a person if someone in my school knows this either from anime or from the internet or just a random thing

[@K_DC_L]

I am here because of chihaya furu . O.O Wanna try to play it too. hahaha

[@queenieyap1478]

Chihaya furu brought me here....I kinda like this karuta

[@TiNaAziZ]

LOL. But they don't play as dramatic as Chihaya! XDDD

[@XxKumaa]

woahh i thought Chihayafuru was exaggerating with the 0.1 second reaction time until i watched this

[@kasenagi]

The Karuta they play in Chihayafuru is so much more intense and sensitive from noise. I also play Karuta and believe me, it is actually quite hard.

[@aoisuzuka4780]

i really like to experiece japanese culture

[@BrunaPacheco]

I'm from Brazil, and when I saw Chihayafuru, I was completely in love with karuta! It's so amazing, and I keep learning a lot with all of those animes!

[@iiPandaChii]

The description said: "Welcome Chihayafuru fans!"
OHGOD. HE KNOWS.

[@Khalphite191]

chihayafuru led me into an insight of an amazing sport, the karuta :D

[@larachan3914]

it looks so elegant!!!!! I´m so envy of the people who live in Japan!!!! .....I want to play Karuta........

[@conishuaa]

To play this is a must !
There should be a game like this in all countries because now there is a lot of people who wants to play it!

[@conversekitty20]

I started watching this sport because of Chihayafuru. I HUNGER for karata now. It's better than American sports and European futbol combined. It keeps on me on set the whole time and when someone wins I like like it's my whole body wants to explode. It's sooo exciting. This is a REAL sport.

[@stellahumberdross]

I'm excited for Chihayafuru season 2 as well, I hope she ends up with Taichi! And I love the Jaapnese culture, this games seems so intense.

[@ashlygirl12321]

I wanted to play karuta so much, I made up a game that's just like karuta but used with playing cards. Hehe.

[@padmajautpala8602]

Seeing chihayafuru made me wanna learn more about Karuta. .and Iam here now

[@RyoKuroyuki]

Chihaya's love for Karuta is spreading though out the fans and I'm one of the fans that got hit by that and now I want to learn all about Karuta and all about the hidden meaning for each card of the past like how Chihaya learned from Kana-chan.....thumbs up if you are here to know the hidden meaning of the poems like Chihaya

[@Krisstofers]

It's funny to see how many people only know this game through anime. I know the game from a very old black and white Japanese movie... I forget the name of it... but it took place during edo period, and I recall the people walking in the snow. The karuta had no pictures and the cards were made of wood.