K571

1957 Yakyu/Sumo Karuta Set

    Description:  This is a nice karuta set from 1957.  On the sumo side of the cards are pictures of 44 rikishi (One for each letter of the Japanese Hiragana Alphabet) from 1957 and on the baseball side are pictures of Japanese baseball players from the same era.  The baseball side is used to play a dice game and the sumo side is used to play karuta.  For karuta, there is a corresponding reader card for all 44 rikishi and letters of the Hiragana Alphabet.  Usually when you find these cards on the market, they don't have the corresponding reader cards with them as they typically have been lost.  If you can find a complete set with all 88 cards it is definitely worth getting.  These cards originally came in sheets and had to be cut by the buyer.

    Company: Unknown                                           Availability: Rikishi cards: Scarce, Reader cards: Rare

    Card Size: 1.75" x 3.0"                                      Card Material: Thin, Paper stock

     # of Cards: 44 rikishi cards, 44 Reader Cards with 4 blank extras  Packaging: Sheets

   Winner Stamp Description:  N/A

   Front Design:  A photo of the rikishi standing in their kesho-mawashi.  Rank and Shikona is printed vertically on the left side of the card and a letter from the Japanese Hiragana alphabet is in the upper, right corner.  The cards were printed with a grey ink.

   Back Design:  One of 44 popular Japanese baseball stars is on the back of every card.  Cards are printed in color with either a blue or yellow border.  The baseball players name/team/position and where he is right or left handed is below the picture.  One of six possible baseball plays is at the very bottom and is used in a dice game.