お手玉(てだま)

おてだま
noun
beanbag juggling, juggling beanbags
1. beanbag juggling, otedama
A traditional Japanese game of tossing and catching small fabric bags filled with beans or pellets, similar to juggling. Also refers to the beanbags themselves.
おばあちゃんにお手玉(てだま)を教(おそ)わった。
I learned otedama (beanbag juggling) from my grandmother.
お手玉(てだま)を5つ使(つか)って遊(あそ)ぶのは難(むずか)しい。
It's difficult to play with five beanbags.
手作(てづく)りのお手玉(てだま)を作(つく)った。
I made handmade beanbags.

TRADITIONAL GAME:

  • Traditionally played by girls
  • Often accompanied by 童謡(どうよう) (children's songs)
  • Passed down through generations

THE BAGS:

  • Filled with 小豆(あずき) (azuki beans), 数珠玉(じゅずだま) (Job's tears seeds), or plastic pellets
  • Made from colorful fabric, often in 俵型(たわらがた) (bale shape)
  • Typically play with 3-5 bags

PLAYING STYLES:

  • 振(ふ)り玉(だま) (toss and catch from same hand)
  • 寄(よ)せ玉(だま) (gather scattered beanbags)
  • Various patterns with counting songs

CULTURAL NOTE:

  • One of the 昔(むかし)の遊(あそ)び (traditional Japanese games)
  • Often taught at お正月(しょうがつ) (New Year) events
  • Part of cultural preservation activities in schools

COLLOCATIONS:

  • お手玉(てだま)をする (to play otedama)
  • お手玉(てだま)で遊(あそ)ぶ (to play with beanbags)
  • お手玉(てだま)を投(な)げる (to toss beanbags)
general
Added 2026.1.18 8:56 · Revised 2026.1.19 21:17
06500/06556_otedama