Because of the decreasing importance of suits in Japanese games played using Tensho Karuta and Mekurifuda, One-suited karuta decks were subsequently developed.
There were two main classifications of these one-suited decks:
- Kabu Karuta, which use the suit of Clubs, and
- Mame Karuta, which use the suit of Coins.
Depending on the pattern, the deck may contain either 40 or 48 cards.
Just like the Mekurifuda, they were created to get around the ban on cards bearing Portuguese playing card designs, by transforming the usual courts and dragons into abstract shapes or strokes.
These cards in particular, were used for playing simpler Japanese card games, usually betting games. However, they were not exclusively used for such games only; Daini, for example, is attested to be used for playing Kujuroku, a fishing game.
For a list of games played using these cards, see Mekurifuda Games.
¶ Kabu Karuta
Kabu Karuta [かぶかるた] are card decks that consist of 4 copies of the suit of Clubs for every number in the deck.
The name may come from Kabufuda, which is the most popular pattern in this category, due to the other decks’ similarity in appearance with Kabufuda.
It may also refer to the fact that the decks were designed for playing Kabu [カブ] games, which were showdown or banking games that use the method of taking the ones digit of the sum of the numbers in a set of cards to determine it’s strength, with 0 being the lowest and 9 being the highest.
¶ Kinds of Kabu Karuta
| Pattern | Played in | Number of Cards | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kabufuda | Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Tanba, Tango, Tajima, Banshu, Bizen, Kishu, Iga, Yamato, Kwachi, Izumi, Settsu | 40 | Consists of 4 copies of the numbers 1 to 10, with a special overprinted 1 and 4. The only court card “10” looks like a two-way Jack holding a very short sword, but its body is based on the Queen of Clubs of a western playing card deck. |
| Kinseizan | Tsuruga, Kii, Ise, Shima | 48 | Looks like Kabufuda, with a few differences: There are 3 court cards (10, 11, 12), whose designs look more like the 2 of coins, the horse of clubs, and the king of clubs in a mekurifuda deck. All 1, 2, 10, 11, and 12 cards are overprinted. Special 4 is overprinted like Kabufuda, while Special 1 has a Paulownia and Cloud overprint. Comes with Onifuda. |
| Irinokichi | Kishu, Shima, Ise (Japan) East & West Haozhou (China) |
48 | Identical to Kinseizan except only the Special 1 and Special 4 are overprinted. Comes with Onifuda. |
| Hosonokichi | - | 48 | Identical to Irinokichi but the Clubs are made up of thin lines. |
¶ Mame Karuta
Mame Karuta [まめカルタ] are card decks that consist of 4 copies of the suit of Coins for every number in the deck.
The name refers to the round shape of the pips on the cards,which resemble beans [まめ, mame].
¶ Kinds of Mame Karuta
| Pattern | Played in | Number of Cards | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daini or Daiji | Chikuzen, Chikugo, Buzen, Bungo, Hizen, Higo, Hyuga, Osumi, Shimonoseki (Japan) Some areas in Korea |
40 | Consists of 4 copies of the numbers 1 to 10, with a special overprinted 1, 3, and 4. Also, the normal 3 and 4 are overprinted. Comes with a red Onifuda. May or may not come with a Jizofuda. Despite there being a special 3 card, it has not been attested to be treated as a special card in games. |
| Komaru | Tanba, Tango, Tajima, Bizen, Bicchu, Bingo, Aki, Suo, Nagato, Awa, Awaji, Iyo, Sanuki, Hokkaido | 40 | Structurally identical to Daini but the pips are smaller and the lines are thinner. Also the normal 4 are not overprinted. Comes with a red Onifuda. |
| Mefuda | Sanuki, Awa, Shikoku | 40 | Structurally similar to Daini but the pips look like black teardrops, the 10 are horses, and the 4, 7, 8, and 9 cards have what appears to be eyebrows or eyelashes. Special 1 and 2, 3, and 4 cards have “金銭不用” (money not used) printed on them. Comes with a red Onifuda. |
| Kudoyama or Kudosan | Hoki, Izumo, Inaba, Oki | 48 | Design-wise looks like an elaborately drawn Mekurifuda deck. Consists of 12 numbers; each number has 1 special overprinted card and 3 normal plain cards. The woodblock prints of 12 (King) and 10 (Maid) are switched. Comes with a red Onifuda. |
¶ Gallery
¶ Kabu Karuta
| Pattern | The Deck |
|---|---|
| Kabufuda |  |
| Kinseizan | |
| Irinokichi |  |
| Hosonokichi | - |
¶ Mame Karuta
| Pattern | The Deck |
|---|---|
| Daini or Daiji |  |
| Komaru |  |
| Mefuda |  |
| Kudoyama or Kudosan |  |
¶ Bibliography
- Nintendo Brands and Chiho-fuda poster, Late Taisho to Early Showa era.
- Nihon Karuta Chiho-fuda poster, Late Taisho to Early Showa era.
- https://japanplayingcardmuseum.com/kabu-karuta/
- https://japanplayingcardmuseum.com/mame-karuta/