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The 47 Japanese prefectures

 

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There are 47 many prefectures in Japan!Japan is an island country with a small area of land.It is the country surrounded by oceans, and has a large number of high, steep mountains.
 
Due to these difficult terrains, it was very challenging for people to travel around during the period when there was no train nor car available, but this difficult situation created many local-specific cultures, customs and cuisines around the country.These local-specific cultures, customs and cuisines still remain today, and they are the elements that make today’s Japan very special!
 
It will be impossible to fully understand Japan in just 1 week of holidaying there!

 

Categorization

This card game focuses on the kanji structures of 47 prefecture names, and divides these prefectures into 2 groups – Part 1 and Part 2.

 PART 1

 

Part 1 mainly consists of prefecture names with simpler kanji structure/combination patterns.
 

24 prefectures categorized in Part 1

Prefcture names KANJI
1.北海道
北 海 道
HO-KKAI-DO
2.岩手
岩 手
IWA-TE
3.秋田
秋 田
AKI-TA
4.山形
山 形
 YAMA-GATA 
5.東京
東 京
TO-KYO
6.神奈川
神 奈 川
   KA-NA-GAWA
7.新潟
新 潟
NII-GATA
8.山梨
山 梨
YAMA-NASHI 

9.石川
石 川
ISHI-KAWA
10.愛知
愛 知
AI-CHI
11.岐阜
岐 阜
GI-FU
12.三重
三 重
MI-E
13.滋賀
滋 賀
SHI-GA
14.京都
京 都
KYO-TO
15.奈良
奈 良
NA-RA
16.和歌山
和 歌 山
WA-KA-YAMA
17.大阪
大 阪
O-SAKA
18.山口
山 口
YAMA-GUCHI
19.香川
香 川
KA-GAWA
20.愛媛
愛 媛
E-HIME
21.高知
高 知
KO-CHI
22.大分
大 分
O-ITA
23.佐賀
佐 賀
SA-GA
24.沖縄
沖 縄
OKI-NAWA

 

 
カードゲームジャポニカ得点表
* Extracted from Instruction sheet: Part 1
 
Card game JAPONICA Part1
 

Part 1 includes prefecture names that can be completed with just 2 cards.
If you are not familiar with kanji, then we recommend playing the game with Part 1 cards only because it will be easier to complete Part 1 prefectures.

 

 
But then, if all prefecture names can be easily completed with just 2 cards, the game won’t be as exciting! Therefore, there may be some prefecture names that will require more than 3 cards to complete.
 

 

 PART 2

 
Part 2 mainly consists of prefecture names with more complex kanji structures/combination patterns.

 

23 prefectures categorized in Part 2

Prefcture names KANJI
1.青森
青 森
 AO-MORI
2.宮城
宮 城
MIYA-GI
3.福島
福 島
FUKU-SHIMA
4.群馬
群 馬
GUM-MA
5.栃木
栃 木
TOCHI-GI
6.茨城
茨 城
IBARA-KI
7.埼玉
埼 玉
SAI-TAMA
8.千葉
千 葉
CHI-BA
9.長野
長 野
NAGA-NO
10.富山
富 山
TO-YAMA
11.福井
福 井
FUKU-I
12.静岡
静 岡
SHIZU-OKA
13.兵庫
兵 庫
HYO-GO
14.岡山
岡 山
OKA-YAMA
15.広島
広 島
HIRO-SHIMA
16.鳥取
鳥 取
TO-TTORI
17.島根
島 根
SHIMA-NE
18.徳島
徳 島
TOKU-SHIMA
19.福岡
福 岡
FUKU-OKA
20.宮崎
宮 崎
MIYA-ZAKI
21.長崎
長 崎
NAGA-SAKI
22.熊本
熊 本
KUMA-MOTO
23.鹿児島
鹿 児 島
KA-GO-SHIMA

 

 
カードゲームジャポニカ得点表
 * Extracted from Instruction sheet: Part 2

 

Card game JAPONICA Part2

 
Most of the prefectures in Part 2 will require more than 3 cards to complete their names.
 
Also, there are many prefectures, such as "宮城(MIYAGI" and "福島(FUKUSHIMA", that can be completed with more than 1 combination pattern. Your ability to find many applicable patterns will be tested, and you will need to use your brain power to defeat other players and win the game, and that is the characteristic of Part 2.
 

 
In Part 2, there are prefecture names that consist of 2 kanji letters but are divided into 5 cards of different kanji letter/part.
 

 
There are also other prefecture names that consist of 2 kanji letters that are divided into 4 cards of different kanji letter/parts. This means, the difficulty level will be higher with Part 2 when compared to Part 1, and that you will be required to find many applicable patterns to complete the names.

 "Card Game JAPONICA" Series

from JAPAN

 The 47 Japanese prefectures version

Series 1

The 47 Japanese prefectures version
 Age group: ages 10 and over
 

 

 Sengoku busho version

Series 2

 
sengoku-busho
 Age group: ages 12 and over
 
 
*“Sengoku-busho” means the Japanese generals from Sengoku period (= the Age of Warring State).

 

 Card Game "Babies?"

Series 3 

 
Card Game BABIES?
 Age group: ages 8 and over
 
 
PEAK & VALLEY
 
MADE IN JAPAN