The tournamen to determine the best of the best in Kyogi karuta!
Ogura Hyakunin Isshu Kyogi karuta
VENUE:Omi Shrine(Shiga Pref.) / Held in January every year
The Meijin Title and Queen Title Match is a tournament to determine the best of Kyogi karuta. The Meijin Title Match has been held since 1955, and the Queen Title Match since 1957.
Players who win the preliminary rounds challenge the previous year's title holders. The winner becomes the titleholder of the year.
Every year in October, the East Japan Qualifying Tournament and West Japan Qualifying Tournament are held to select the challengers. The two winners of these qualifying tournaments play each other in November, and the winner gets the right to challenge.
The tournament to determine the best in Japan, regardless of gender
Ogura Hyakunin Isshu Kyogi karuta
VENUE:Toyota City(Aichi Pref.) / Held in April every year
This tournament is an open tournament for male and female players of 4-dan and above to determine the best player in Japan. This tournament has been held since 1962.
Competition for those with excellent grades of 4-dan and above
Ogura Hyakunin Isshu Kyogi karuta
VENUE:Meiji Shrine(Tokyo Metropolitan)/ Held in March every year
The national selection tournament is held by selecting the best players of 4-dan and above. This tournament has been held since 1986, and is usually held at Meiji Shrine.
The tournament to decide the best elementary school karuta player in Japan
Ogura Hyakunin Isshu Kyogi karuta
VENUE:Yushima Tenmangu Shrine(Tokyo Metropolitan)/ Held in January every year
This is a tournament where elementary school students from all over Japan are divided into different grades to determine the best in Japan. The elementary school championships have been held since 1988.
The tournament to decide the best junior high school karuta player in Japan
Ogura Hyakunin Isshu Kyogi karuta
VENUE:Yushima Tenmangu Shrine(Tokyo Metropolitan)/ Held in August every year
Junior high school students from all over Japan are divided into different grades and compete to determine the best in Japan. The tournament has been held since 1989.In addition to individual competitions, the National Junior High School Championships have been held since 1999, with team competitions by prefecture. In 2021, the venue was moved to Asakura City (Fukuoka Prefecture) due to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
About team competition (5 players)
Five pairs of one-on-one matches are played at the same time.
The same 50 cards are prepared in advance for each pair. You do not know which cards are used until the game starts.The rules will be the same as for individual matches, except that teams can call out to each other.The team with three wins wins the tournament.
Aiming for the crown of the high school student competition karuta title
Ogura Hyakunin Isshu Kyogi karuta
VENUE:Omi Shrine(Shiga Pref.)/ Held in July every year
There are two types of tournaments: team and individual. In the team competition, schools that have won the preliminary rounds in each prefecture gather at Omi Jingu Shrine to determine the best high school in Japan. The day after the team competition, the individual competition is held. The team competition has been held since 1979, and the individual competition since 1980.
About the Karuta Memorial Service
The Ogura Hyakunin Isshu Karuta Memorial Service is held in the grounds of Omi Shrine on the occasion of the National High School Karuta Championship.We have a burning ceremony to give thanks for the old karuta cards that we have known for a long time and have many memories of, and to pray for their future improvement.
Team competition between different prefectures
Venue: Each prefecture rotates every year / Held in October or November every year
The National Cultural Festival, also known as the "National Athletic Meet of Culture," has been holding Kyogi karuta matches since 2004. The games are held over two days, with each prefecture competing against each other in a team competition of five players.