River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1891-10-01
JAPANESE PLAYING CARDS.
Very Small In Size But ArtIsticaIIy Oraa.

Very Small in Size But ArtIsticaIIy oraa-
mented.
1t is remarkable fact, as showing
the brotherhood of nations, that every
one, no matter how dissimilar in race
or religion. has game played with
cards The ordinary pack used in this
country had its origin in the east, and
was introduced into Europe by the
home returning crusaders, ard nearly
related to these cards are those used by
the Italian, Spanish, French, German,
Hindoo and Chinese races. But ia
panese cards seem TO be distinctly orig
inal according to writer in Science"
They are oblong and made OF paste
board. The backs are painted black,
with none of the checkered. dotted
marks which usually decorate our cards
The designs seem to be stenciled, and
are brightly and appropriately colored,
and then covered with an enamel or
varnish which makes them very slip
perry. They are very much smaller
than our cards, being little more than
two inches long by one broad.
Forty-nine in number, they are
divided into twelve suits of four cards
III CttCn suit OliC CstEA II q tIlltt
than the rest of the pack, AMI has
plain white face. not embellished with
any distinctive emblem, and this ore is
used as Joker" The other cards are
covered with designs that represent
twelve flowers or other things appro-
pirate to the month of the year.
Each card is distinct ard different
from its fellows. even IL bearing the
same emblem, and they can be easily
distinguished and classified, not only by
the symbolic flowers they bear. but also
by character or letter that marks
nearly every card, and which seems to
denote the vegetable that represents the
month.
The only month that has no floral
emblem is August, and that suit is
marked by mountains and warm-look-
ing skies.
January IS represented by pine trees.
which, on two of the cards. are shown
against lurid sky; the third one has a
grayish background, that throws the
trees into strong relief, and the fourth
has a setting sun fiecked with light
clouds, the pines barely indicated in
front of it. and the greater part of the
card covered with the figure of huge
white-bodied, red-eyed storl.
February displays as its emblem a
plum blossom, the four cards devoted to
this month bearing its flower in various
positions
March has red cherry blossom, and
April the hanging tendrils of the wis
taria vine. On one of the cards of this
suit is n wee yellow bird. which is fly
ing across its surface under a crimson
cloud.
For. NJ ay there are beautiful blue iris
springing from long,. spiky leaves.
One card shows in one of its corners
part of dock or pier, and also the
water out of which the flower is lifting
its lovely head.
June Is represented by blood-red
peonies, over one of which two yellow
butterflies are lowering.
On July's cards star-shaped leaves.
some yellow, some red, and some black.
are scattered over their surface. These
leaves resemble those of gum or liquid
amber trees, but they bear the Japan
ese name of hagi.
On one of the cards belonging to this
suit deer is represented, standing I'M
der the branches of this strangely hued
tree. This is the only figure which re-
calls in any way the emblems used on
cards belonging to other nations, as on
one of the Chinese cards is found either
deer or else Chinese characters,
which have been translated 20 mean,
This is deer"
August is represented by four pic
lures of grass-covered mountains, in
three of which they are sharply de-
fined against a clouded blue sky. and IA
the fourth the sun, looking hot and
sultry, beams down on treeless hill.
Three birds fly across the sky on one
of these cards.
September bears the Mikado's flower.
yellow and red chrysanthemum; Oc-
tober, a maple tree, with red or yellow
leaves, and on one card is yellow boar
trotting off toward the symbolic tree.
November shows on one of its cards
willow, sharply outlined against a
leaden sky. The willows on a fellow
card look wind-tossed, and along-taiied
bird Skins across the sky.
= third card is covered with inky
clouds, torrents of rain, and strange
ZlgzdgS TcseSlollHb ioFhtu lightning.
The fourth card of this suit bears a
quaint figure of a man running through
the storm under the willow trees and
dropping his sandals in his haste, his
head covered with a huge yellow UNI
brella. Streaks of lightning surround
the little figure, and the storm of rain
is well Sepieted in the pi ture.
December bears the imperial Japanese
plant, kiri, and over one of these flow
ers hovers a beautiful, red-crested. sill
ver-winged pheasant.
An infinite variety of games are played
with these cards, as there is a shade of
difference in each one of each set, and
in some games each has a separate
value.
The favorite game in Japan at pres
ent is very like casino. in which any
card of a set may take any other, but
all have their own values in the final