Learning from Karuta: The playful spirit of words. Weaving words together, connecting hearts.
Learning the playful spirit of words through karuta - Weaving words, connecting hearts -
"Iroha ni ho e to chi rin ru wo"
When I hum this passage, memories of winter from my childhood suddenly come back to me.
Colorful tags are spread out on top of the kotatsu.
Steaming teacups, the laughter of the family, and the quiet sound of the reading of the cards.
Listen carefully, hold your breath, and reach out before anyone else.
Karuta was not just a game.
It's a small winter training ground where you can hone your words and sensibilities.
Looking back now, that time may have been the starting point for me to discover the beauty of words and the power of space.
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Karuta is a "garden of words"
The appeal of karuta lies in the rhythm, space, and ingenious metaphors contained within its short words.
For example, one of the Hyakunin Isshu poems:
"Even though I tried to hide it, my love came out beautifully."
― Taira Kanemori
The emotional fluctuations contained in this song.
The lingering impression of the opening line "Shinoburedo (Even though I'm hiding)"
It's like a letter secretly hidden inside a purse.
Feelings that are not put into words are conveyed even more strongly.
This is the aesthetic of the Japanese language, which holds that the truth lies in what is left unspoken.
Karuta teaches children this "depth of words" naturally through play.
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Developing language through play
What children learn through karuta is more than just vocabulary and knowledge.
There is a sensitivity that is cultivated through the five senses.
・Ears that can distinguish sounds ・The ability to concentrate and read ahead ・The quick thinking to pick up a card ・And the softness of mind to be touched by the beauty of words
For example, the moment the "A" card is read, several phrases beginning with "A" pop into your head.
Choose the correct answer from the list in an instant.
This is exactly the act of training your "linguistic intuition."
And by being exposed to the beauty of the pictures and letters on the bills, children will also develop their visual sensibilities.
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The spirit of "Karuta" embodied in the name WABISUKE
At WABISUKE, we value "poetic naming,"
It is an extension of this karuta-like sensibility.
For example, the color name is "Shirafujinezu."
It's like the white wisteria flowers blooming at the end of spring melting into the light of dusk.
It evokes a tranquil scene.
There is no direct explanation for this color name.
However, the "white space" there evokes memories and emotions in the viewer.
Just like a card in a karuta game.
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Creating modern "Karuta"
At WABISUKE, we find, nurture, and shape the "seeds of words" that exist in our daily lives.
It could be a color calendar, a product name, or a passage from a blog.
For example, what if there was a modern karuta like this:
・"Yu": The scent of yuzu makes me stop in a winter alleyway. ・"Ho": The unraveling of a fond memory in my purse. ・"Sa": Feelings unravel in the ripples of summer's end. ・"Ne": The smell of the morning breeze as I rush out with my hair still in bed.
This is not just wordplay.
By capturing the small discoveries and emotions we experience in our daily lives in five-seven-five sentences or short phrases,
It will become a "card" that gently touches someone's heart.
And within the reader, a new story begins.
We believe that this is the potential of modern "Karuta."
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Playing with words, playing with words
Karuta is not a culture of the past.
It is a tool to cultivate our sensibilities as we live in the present,
It is a "playground" that connects words and the heart.
I hope that WABISUKE's blog will also be like a "word karuta."
Like a card that suddenly touches the reader's heart,
Or, as fragments of words that you might find yourself humming in your daily life,
I want to be someone who gently supports you.
Words are play, prayer, and gift.
That is why, even today, we carefully select and weave each and every word,
We will weave "cards" that will reach someone's heart in the future.