Mekuri (めくり, lit. “Flipping”) is a type of fishing game that was popular in Japan during the Edo period. It is thought to be the ancestor of the game Hana-Awase, and shares the same gameplay mechanics.
The name comes from the act of drawing a card from the face-down draw pile, which is done by taking the top card of the pile and flipping it face-up so that you can see the card you’ve just drawn.
Originally, it was played using Tensho Karuta, which were faithful copies of the Portuguese playing cards. It was also thought to be played using local decks with abstract designs based on Tensho Karuta, hence giving them the term “Mekuri Karuta” or “Mekurifuda”.
The game described below was designed to be played by 4 people, with 3 people participating in each round at once.
It has been attested to be “playable with 2 to 5 people”; However, the 5th person will have to wait in line until the game has ended. So technically, only 4 people participate in the game.
Also, it was not explained how a 2-player game was done.
¶ The Cards
A Tensho Karuta or Mekurifuda deck of 48 cards is used. Remove any extra Onifuda/Bakefuda from the deck.
Among the recommended Mekuri Karuta decks to be used for this game are Fukutoku, Kurouma, and Mitsuogi, because the gold and silver overprints of those decks correspond to the card point values used in this game.
If you do not have a Tensho/Mekuri Karuta deck, you may use a Portuguese or Spanish playing card deck.
You may also use a stripped-down Unsun Karuta deck (Remove the suit of drums, as well as the 1’s, Gods of fortune, and Chinese officials of the remaining suits).
You may also use a stripped-down western playing card deck. Remove all 10’s before playing. Clubs=Clubs; Swords=Spades; Coins=Diamonds; Cups=Hearts.
It is possible to use a Hanafuda deck for playing this game, but only if you memorized the Nagoya sequence of the cards (i.e. the 2’s are assigned to the Willow
). It is not recommended to use the standard sequence unless you are willing to mark one of the Chaff of Plum
to differentiate it from the other Chaff.
¶ Card Names
| NUMBER | Clubs | Swords | Coins | Cups |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (Dragon) |
Aza (Ace) |
Pin (1) |
Subeta (Junk) |
Subeta (Junk) |
| 2 | Ao ni (Blue 2) |
Ebi ni (Shrimps 2) |
Taiko ni (Drums 2) |
Kuchibiru no ni (Lips of 2) |
| 3 | Ao san (Blue 3) |
Aka san (Red 3) |
Subeta (Junk) |
Subeta (Junk) |
| 4 | Ao shi (Blue 4) |
Aka shi (Red 4) |
Subeta (Junk) |
Subeta (Junk) |
| 5 | Ao go (Blue 5) |
Aka go (Red 5) |
Subeta (Junk) |
Subeta (Junk) |
| 6 | Ao roku (Blue 6) |
Aka roku (Red 6) |
Subeta (Junk) |
Subeta (Junk) |
| 7 | Ao nana (Blue 7) |
Aka nana (Red 7) |
Subeta (Junk) |
Subeta (Junk) |
| 8 | Ao hachi (Blue 8) |
Aka hachi (Red 8) |
Subeta (Junk) |
Subeta (Junk) |
| 9 | Ao kyu (Blue 9) |
Aka kyu (Red 9) |
Subeta (Junk) |
Subeta (Junk) |
| 10 (Maid) |
Shaka jū (Buddha 10) |
Sudare jū (Blinds 10) |
Subeta (Junk) |
Subeta (Junk) |
| 11 (Horse) |
Ao uma (Blue Horse) |
Jū no uma (10-pt. Horse) |
Subeta (Junk) |
Subeta (Junk) |
| 12 (King) |
Ao kiri (Blue King) |
Jū no kiri (10-pt. King) |
Subeta (Junk) |
Subeta (Junk) |
¶ Game Setup
¶ Choosing the Dealer and Seating Position
There is no attested method for choosing the dealer and seating position, so you may use whichever method suits you.
¶ Dealing the Initial Cards
7 cards are dealt to each player, and 6 cards face-up to the table. The remainder of the deck is placed face-down to form the draw pile.
What happens if 4 cards of the same number are dealt to the table has not been attested - usually a misdeal is declared (since these 4 cards are impossible to capture); In this case, the cards are thrown in, shuffled again, and re-dealt. Other rules should probably be agreed upon as a house rule.
Whether or not 4 cards of the same month in a player’s hand constitutes as a misdeal has not been attested - the specific answer to this question should probably be agreed upon as a house rule.
¶ Join-in/Drop-out Phase
Each player checks the cards dealt to them and, starting from the dealer counter-clockwise, declares whether to participate in the round (“join-in”), or wait until the next round (“drop-out”).
Once a player decides to “drop-out”, the remaining three players must participate in the round.
When 3 players have decided to join-in, the remaining player will automatically be unable to participate in the round (“forced-out”).
There are no attested penalties for dropping out, nor any compensation for the forced-out player. Whether or not these should be implemented should probably be agreed upon as a house rule.
The player who dropped out or is forced out puts his/her cards back into the draw pile and shuffles it.
¶ Gameplay
The core gameplay is identical to Hana-awase, except that instead of matching flowers, numbers/courts are being matched instead.
The game ends when all players run out of cards in hand.
¶ Scoring
Each player’s card points are then counted and subtracted by a par score of 240 to get the settlement score.
Settlement score = Total of captured card points - 240
Negative score means you lose those points; Positive score means you win those points.
The player who earned most points in that round becomes the dealer for the next round.
¶ Card Points
- The 6 of Clubs is the highest scoring, worth 60 points.
- There are 10 cards in the deck worth 50 points each: The 2 of Coins, and every other card of the Club suit except 6, 7, and 8.
- The 7 and 8 of Clubs are worth 20 points each.
- All cards of the Sword suit are worth 10 points each.
- All other cards of the Coins and Cups suits are worth 0 points, and are called “Subeta” (Junk).
¶ Card Points Table
| NUMBER | Clubs | Swords | Coins | Cups |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (Dragon) |
50 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | 50 | 10 | 50 | 0 |
| 3 | 50 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | 50 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | 50 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | 60 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | 20 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | 20 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | 50 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 (Maid) |
50 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 (Horse) |
50 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 (King) |
50 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
The total card points in the deck is 720; When divided by 3 players, gives the par score of 240.
¶ Yaku
In addition to the usual card point scoring, each player who forms a yaku receives additional points from the other 2 players.
The values of the yaku have not been attested. Decide first what will be the value of each yaku before playing.
| NAME OF YAKU | Card 1 | Card 2 | Card 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Danjuro [団十郎] | Club Dragon (1) | Club 2 | Club Maid (10) |
| Ebizo [海老蔵] | Club Dragon (1) | Sword 2 | Club Maid (10) |
| Nakazo [仲蔵] | Club 7 | Club 8 | Club 9 |
| Akazo [赤蔵] | Sword 7 | Sword 8 | Sword 9 |
| Shimosan [上三] | Club Dragon (1) | Club 2 | Club 3 |
| Kamisan [下三] | Club Maid (10) | Club Horse (11) | Club King (12) |