A Martial Art on Tatami

　A competitive karuta  game is called/“a martial art on tatami.”// The players need physical and mental strength,/as well as the powers of concentration and speed.//
　In this game,/a reciter reads only the first half of a yomifuda  card,/which has a waka  poem.// Players try to grab/the corresponding torifuda  card quickly.// They compete so fiercely/that they sometimes get injured,/like in martial arts.//


　Competitive karuta  players/try to memorize 100 waka  poems.// They practice hard/to react immediately to the first kana  character/when the yomifuda  is read.// What may surprise you is/that even running or sit-ups can be used for training.//
　This game became popular/thanks to a comic series, Chihayafuru.// It shows high school students/competing in karuta  matches.// The animated version of Chihayafuru  has been enjoyed/in over 50 countries.//


　What is the attraction of a competitive karuta  game?// Age, gender or experience does not matter,/but skill and enthusiasm do.// That’s what players really like/about this game.// And just as in other sports,/you need to plan strategies to win.// That’s fun.//
　Now even people from overseas/participate in international tournaments/in Japan.// Have you ever joined a competitive karuta  game?// If not,/why don’t you try?//