🐚SHELL GAME🎴
To while away those rainy afternoons...a game of 'kai-awase' (貝合わせ).
Traditional or seasonal scenes are painted in elaborate detail on the inside of shells. The aim of the game is to find pairs amongst the shells (each half related in some way).
This particular set of kai-awase were on display at the wonderful Yūsai-tei (祐斎亭) in Arashiyama.
Clam shells from Ise Bay were considered ideal for 'kai-awase' (貝合わせ) as they fit comfortably in a girl's hand (this pastime was mostly played by women).
Once polished, the interior of the shells were covered with paper and gold leaf, onto which scenes or images were painted.
The half shells were separated into 2 octagonal boxes (桶): 'shells to be played' (出貝), representing earth/yin, and 'shells fixed in place' (地貝), symbolising heaven/yang.
At its most elaborate 360 matched shells (1 for each day of the year) would be in play, with 20 players!
🐚19 'fixed in place shells' (地貝 'jigai') were arranged in a circle (representing 12 months/7 days), with the remaining shells placed in 9 lines (the layers of heaven).
🐚1 of the 'shells to be played' (出貝 'dashigai') was placed face down and the task of finding its partner began...
Now here's the tricky part. Players do not look at the underside, but rather guess based on the shell's plain top (and memory).
Matching pairs would fit perfectly together. A player confirms a match by showing the related images on the underside (cheating was impossible!).
🌊'GIFT FROM THE SEASHORE'🐚
Kameya Norikatsu's (亀屋則克) 'hamazuto' (浜土産) is produced specially for the summertime.
As Kyōto city is far from the sea, the sight of shells reminds us of cool ocean breezes (and has us longing for the coast🥹).
Camellia Tea Ceremony