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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New Year’s Games: Traditional Pastimes & Fun Games for All Ages (41–50)
cat’s cradle
Ayatori is a game where you tie the ends of a string together to make a loop, then hook and release the string with your fingers to create shapes like the “ladder,” “Tokyo Tower,” and “shooting star.” It’s fun to play alone, but playing ayatori with two people is even more enjoyable because you can cooperate and give each other tips.
There are also various variations, such as a competitive style where one person first makes a simple shape with both hands, and the other person takes several strands from within it and transfers them from the partner’s hands to their own without letting the shape collapse.
Try out different styles and see what you like.
Inside-out pots!
Facing each other and holding both hands, you play “Nabe Nabe Soko Nuke.” It’s a traditional game enjoyed while singing the children’s song ‘Nabe Nabe Soko Nuke.’ For today’s children, who often spend time with games and social media, old-fashioned play may feel distant.
New Year’s, when multiple generations gather, is a perfect chance to pass on the culture of those good old days! Since it’s a hand game you can play indoors, why not enjoy it with the kids during moments of family togetherness?
Trump
Playing cards offers many different ways to play, and it’s fun that the rules can vary by region and generation.
In the game “Daifugō” (often called “Rich Man” or “President”), where players compete to be the first to get rid of their hand, there are rules like banning going out on certain cards, a “revolution” that reverses the strength of the numbers, and “8 cut,” which lets you clear the current pile when an 8 is played.
During New Year’s, when people who don’t usually meet get together, it might be fun to play Daifugō with various opponents and enjoy the differences in rules.
Other games like Sevens and Old Maid are also great recommendations for New Year gatherings with a big group.
buzzing top
A buzz-top that spins when you pull the string left and right.
It’s easy to make using familiar materials like milk cartons or empty snack boxes, so why not try making one with your child and playing with it over the New Year holiday? The patterns that emerge while the buzz-top is spinning are very beautiful, so it’s also fun to make several in different colors and designs and compare them.
There are many types of traditional spinning tops in Japan, so try making a variety, starting with the buzz-top, and enjoy a Japanese-style New Year.
origami
Origami is a popular pastime enjoyed by people of all ages, from children to adults, where you fold things like airplanes and cranes for fun.
How about using origami to make New Year–themed items such as the first sunrise of the year, kagami mochi, or a battledore? The first-sunrise origami is especially interesting: you create three motifs—Mount Fuji, the sun, and clouds—and combine them, so it’s worth a try even for adults.
You can also enjoy experimenting with unique materials like washi paper, so definitely give it a go!
first calligraphy of the year
Some kids even started playing Go after reading the smash-hit manga Hikaru no Go.
By that logic, plenty of people might have taken up calligraphy or penmanship after reading calligraphy-themed manga like Tomehane!, Barakamon, or Shosen Toppa! How about doing a first-calligraphy-of-the-year with just the right balance—keeping Tomehane’s detailed rules in mind, but staying reasonably free? There’s a saying, “The year’s plan begins on New Year’s Day,” so let’s boldly commit your New Year’s goals to paper in calligraphic form!
Hama-nage
Hamanage is a traditional New Year’s game that has been played in Kagoshima, Satsuma for roughly 800 years.
Players strike a wooden disc called a “hama,” which is made by cutting a log into slices about 6 cm in diameter, using a wooden stick called a “botto,” similar to a hockey stick.
Although the game temporarily declined due to a prohibition order in the Taisho era, it was revived with the establishment of a preservation society in 1963 (Showa 38) and has remained popular to this day.
New Year’s is a time when many of us want to reconnect with the beauty of traditional Japan.
Why not experience Japanese culture through games passed down from ancient times?
bamboo-copter
A taketombo is a simple toy made of a wooden stick and propeller-like wings, which you play with by spinning the winged tip.
You can also make a taketombo from materials like milk cartons or construction paper instead of wood, making it easy for anyone to enjoy.
It also helps children physically grasp a physics concept: the initial thrust is converted by rotation into inertia—the energy that keeps it spinning.
For young kids, this makes it a recommended activity that can benefit their future studies.
stilts
Take-uma is a game where you assemble a long bamboo pole and a short bamboo pole in a cross shape, sit sideways on the short pole, and try to walk without falling off.
Because bamboo has a relatively small base, keeping your balance is very difficult, and at first even just standing still is hard.
It’s challenging not only for children but also for adults, so it could be fun for the whole family to try and see who can master it the fastest.
When you try it, make sure to prioritize safety and do it in a wide, open area with no people or objects nearby.
hoop rolling
“Hoop rolling” is perfect for large spaces like schoolyards, gymnasiums, or recreation rooms! It’s a game where you guide a stick along the groove of a hoop and move forward as you roll it.
The keys to successful hoop rolling are maintaining a good pace and keeping your posture steady.
If you go too slowly, the hoop is more likely to topple; if you go too fast, the hoop may shoot ahead on its own.
In other words, being able to run steadily with the stick held snugly against the hoop can make all the difference.
Get your body moving and enjoy a refreshing New Year!
In conclusion
From games you can enjoy while relaxing with family to activities that get you moving, New Year’s play offers a wide range of ways to have fun. Precisely because games and social media are so familiar today, why not deepen cross-generational connections through traditional, analog pastimes? During the special time of the New Year, make memories with your loved ones while experiencing Japan’s traditional culture!