Gateball and ground golf: how they're played
In parks and on riverside grounds all over Japan, groups of older neighbours play gateball and ground golf most mornings. Both were invented in Japan. This lesson explains how they work and gives you the words you'll hear. Tap to hear any line. The bar at the bottom plays a hands-free drill for walking.
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25 words for the game
Each card shows a word and a line you'd hear on the court or the field. Five reuse words from Everyday Japanese 1 and 2.
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How the two games work
Gateball is a team game with gates and a pole. Ground golf is like golf in a park, with one club and a post instead of a hole.
| Japanese | Means | Rule |
|---|
- Made in Japan. Gateball was invented in Hokkaido in 1947, and ground golf in Tottori in 1982.
- Ten seconds a shot. In gateball you have ten seconds to play, so the chat happens between turns, not over the ball.
- counts shots. , and asks how many.
- Ground golf is simple. One club, one ball, eight holes. The fewest shots wins.
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Three patterns to use today
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Say it in Japanese
Say each one out loud before you reveal the answer. Getting close counts.