Types of Tag Games and How to Play Them
Tag, that simple game where the person who’s “it” touches someone to pass on the role, is something just about everyone has played.
It’s said that if you trace it back, its origins lie in Heian-period rituals for driving away demons.
Today, it has evolved into many different variations.
This time, we’ll introduce some of those diverse forms of tag.
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Types of Tag/Oni Games and How to Play (31–40)
9-square tag
Nine-Square Tag is a quirky twist on tag played in an area divided into nine squares.
At a cue, everyone on the grid moves one square at the same time.
If the chaser (“it”) lands in the same square as someone else, that person is out.
If the chaser can’t catch anyone within ten turns, they lose.
It’s perfect for camps or indoor gatherings because it works even in small spaces.
Kids and adults can enjoy it, and although simple, it engages both mind and body—great as a lively brain workout.
Give it a try!
Banana Tag
A game of tag where if the chaser touches you, you turn into a banana.
It’s a bit like freeze tag.
People who become bananas put their hands together, raise them above their heads, and tilt their bodies.
Then someone else “peels” the banana to bring them back.
If the chaser manages to turn everyone into bananas, the chaser wins.
Tail tag
This is a tag game where everyone is “it.” Tuck something that can serve as a tail—like newspaper strips, ribbons, or strings—into the back of your pants, and everyone tries to grab each other’s tails.
If your tail is taken, you can take a spare from the box of extra tails and continue.
The person who collects the most tails wins.
Freeze tag
Kori-oni is a children’s game that adds extra rules to a regular game of tag.
Players are divided into taggers and runners; anyone who gets tagged must freeze on the spot, and the game continues until everyone has been caught.
Beyond these basic rules, there are some regional variations, so adapting the rules to your environment can make it more fun.
Cops and Robbers
Names vary by region, and while Keidoro is the most widely used name nationwide, there are many others such as Dorokei, Doro-jun, and Jun-doro.
There are also various local rules depending on the area, so you can get creative with how you play.
Types of Tag/Demon-Tag and How to Play (41–50)
Rescue Tag
As in a regular game of tag, choose one person to be “it” and have them chase the others.
When “it” touches a player, that player must freeze on the spot, but if another player touches them, they come back to life and can run again.
If there are many players, adding more taggers makes it even more thrilling and fun.
Shadow stepping tag
Shadows are fascinating, aren’t they? It’s a somewhat indirect and slightly mysterious game where the person whose shadow gets stepped on becomes “it,” and the length of the shadow even changes depending on the time of day.
Maybe because of that dreamy image, there are lots of songs titled things like “Kagefumi-Oni” or “Kagefumi” (Shadow Tag or Shadow-Stepping).
The video shows an owl playing shadow-stepping.
It seems animals are interested in shadows too.
