New Year’s Games: Traditional Play and Fun Activities That Excite Everyone from Kids to Adults
New Year’s is a special time when family and relatives gather.
But are you wondering, “What should we all do together?” In this article, we’ll introduce plenty of ideas to liven up the New Year, from nostalgic traditional games to easy, DIY activities you can make and play with everyday materials.
There’s a wide variety—games everyone can enjoy across generations and active ones that use a large space! There are also many activities you can enjoy while spending time with grandparents.
How about creating special New Year memories together as a family?
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- [Part 2] Recommended Indoor Activities and Recreation Games for December
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- Indoor Games for Small Groups: Exciting Recreational Activities
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- [Children’s Club] Easy and fun indoor games. Exciting party games
New Year’s Pastimes: Traditional Activities and Games to Excite Everyone from Kids to Adults (11–20)
ball-bouncing game (traditional Japanese game played with a ball)
Temari, a ball-shaped toy, might not be very familiar to the younger generation today.
Store-bought temari are often slightly larger than a softball and usually made of rubber.
Maritsuki is a simple game where you keep bouncing the ball—dropped to the ground—off your palm like dribbling.
It’s perfect for taking your mind off daily studies or work and refreshing yourself.
Give it a try during the New Year to clear your head and feel renewed!
Othello
Othello is a game that uses black and white discs—simple yet perfect for enjoying a battle of wits.
It’s ideal for family time and is highly recommended as a game to play during the New Year holidays because the rules are easy for anyone to learn and enjoy.
Originating in Japan, Othello is so popular that world championships are held, and it’s widely enjoyed by people of all ages, from the young to the elderly.
Gathering for the New Year and playing together while crafting flexible strategies will add an exciting touch to the start of a new year.
Bozu Mekuri
This is one of the games that uses the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu, a collection of waka poems by one hundred poets.
A major feature is that it only uses the picture cards, so it’s easy to enjoy even for people who find the rules of standard competitive karuta difficult.
The shuffled picture cards are stacked face down in the middle of the players, and they draw in turn.
If the card shows a man, you keep it in your hand.
If the card shows a monk (a “bōzu”), you discard all the cards in your hand and place them next to the draw pile.
If the card shows a woman, you take all the cards that have been placed next to the draw pile into your hand.
You repeat these actions, and when the draw pile runs out, the player who has collected the most cards wins.
There’s a long-standing joke about not being sure whether Semimaru—who wears a head covering—is a monk or not, so there are local rules that treat Semimaru in a special way.
It’s worth looking them up.
Hyakunin Isshu
Have you ever read Chihayafuru, the manga drawn by Yuki Suetsugu? Many of you have probably seen the Chihayafuru film series starring Suzu Hirose as well.
That razor-sharp tension unique to the matches is indescribable.
Some of you might also remember being forced to recite the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu in high school Japanese class—and finding it torture.
With all the joys and sorrows mixed in, let’s enjoy the New Year with Hyakunin Isshu.
There are many older folks who love Hyakunin Isshu too, so be sure to invite them!
Hanafuda
Hanafuda is a type of Japanese playing cards, using a total of 48 cards depicting Japan’s seasonal beauty—flowers, birds, and landscapes—from January to December.
One of its charms is that you can enjoy various games with it, including the popular Koi-Koi.
That said, many people find the rules hard to learn.
In this video, the ways to play the cards and how to score are explained very clearly and simply, so it should help dispel the notion that “Hanafuda is complicated”! Why not learn the rules in time for the New Year?
oshikura manju (a children’s pushing game)
New Year’s is the perfect time to celebrate a fresh start and spend time with family and friends.
This Oshikura Manju is highly recommended as part of the festivities! It’s a wonderful game where everyone works together and shares warmth and laughter.
You’ll move enough to forget the cold and have fun, and it’s great for getting some exercise too.
However, if you really get into it, be careful to avoid injuries.
Let’s kick off the new year with energy through Oshikura Manju, a game you can play tirelessly.
New Year’s Pastimes: Traditional Activities and Games That Excite Everyone from Kids to Adults (21–30)
plate spinning
Get the party started at New Year’s with a spinning-plate game! First, stick two paper plates together.
Put double-sided tape in about four spots, then press them together.
Cut out the bottom of a paper cup and attach it to the center of the back of the plates.
Next, split a pair of disposable chopsticks and whittle the tips with a pencil sharpener to make your tool—that’s it! If you draw patterns on the plate with pens, it looks beautiful when it spins, so that’s recommended.
How to play: Start by making big, slow spins and find the spot where the plate catches well.
Gradually increase the area where you hook it.
Getting the feel for spinning is tricky, but once you catch on, you’ll improve quickly.
Try adjusting the “core” part to suit your child’s age!
