Taisho (大将, General) was one of Nintendo’s premier brand of hanafuda, kabufuda, mekurifuda, and other karuta decks.
It was the 2nd highest-ranking brand in Nintendo’s hanafuda lineup, only behind Daitoryo and followed by Otafuku.
It was also one of Nintendo’s oldest registered trademarks for hanafuda decks. The oldest surviving reference to the brand was in the Japan Patent Office Records, where the trademark was registered in 1900, a year before even Daitoryo was registered.
It originally depicted a portrait of Prince Iwao Oyama (大山 巌, 12 November 1842 – 10 December 1916), who became a Field Marshal of the Imperial Japanese Army in January 1898, 2 years before the Taisho trademark was registered.
Illustration of the label from the trademark submission in 1900, which depicts Prince Iwao Oyama.
It was later replaced with a different illustration whose identity is not confirmed (possibly still Prince Iwao Oyama, or a fictional Japanese General).
Illustration of the label from the Nintendo early Showa era poster.
The Taisho label was prominently featured on the side of the wrapper of most Nintendo decks until 1967. Despite this and being the 2nd highest ranking brand, Taisho decks are extremely rare nowadays, and there are only two known existing decks that appeared on the internet.
¶ Gallery
| Label | Description |
|---|---|
 |
“White-faced Taisho”. Appears in the only known existing deck that carries this brand, which is a kabufuda deck with irinokichi ace cards and a unique-looking metallic overprint on the special 4. Possibly from 1930’s. |
 |
“Standard Taisho”. The illustration of Iwao Oyama was replaced with a different illustration of a general (possibly a fictional one), known to be used since around late Taisho era (mid 1920’s). This specific label is from 1941-1944. |
 |
“Mustache Taisho”. Appears in an IPCS Journal from 1981. Text is written left-to-right. Release date unknown, but should not be earlier than 1960. Journal only mentions that the brand is no longer being used. |
¶ Brand Line Up (1930’s Catalog)
¶ Hanafuda
- Daitoryo
- Taisho
- Otafuku
- Masamune
- Shiko jirushi
- Ginsekai
- Chujo
- Asahi Sakura, Kintengu
- Marufuku jirushi
- Yaezakura, Kikusui, Gintengu
- Konishiki jirushi
- Kikumaku
- Tokiwa
- Hatsuzakura
- Hyaku-en
- Hi No De
- Hana No Yama
- Miyako No Hana
¶ Mushibana
¶ Bibliography
- The Playing Card Journal of the International Playing Card Society, Vol. X, No. 2. November 1981
- https://dl.ndl.go.jp/pid/845526 Tokyo Shoin (1905)
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ōyama_Iwao