羽根(はね)つき

はねつき
noun
Japanese badminton; hanetsuki
leisure
1. traditional Japanese badminton
A traditional New Year's game where players use wooden paddles called hagoita to hit a shuttlecock back and forth.
お正月(しょうがつ)に姉(あね)と羽根(はね)つきをした。
I played hanetsuki with my older sister at New Year's.
羽根(はね)つきで負(ま)けると顔(かお)に墨(すみ)を塗(ぬ)られる。
If you lose at hanetsuki, your face gets marked with ink.
昔(むかし)は女(おんな)の子(こ)が羽根(はね)つきをするのが一般的(いっぱんてき)だった。
In the old days, it was common for girls to play hanetsuki.

Cultural context: 羽根(はね)つき is a traditional New Year (お正月(しょうがつ)) game in Japan. Historically associated with girls, similar to how 独楽回(こままわ)し (top spinning) was associated with boys.

Equipment

Rules

  • Players try to keep the shuttlecock in the air
  • The loser traditionally gets their face marked with 墨(すみ) (ink)
  • Often played cooperatively to see how many times the shuttlecock can be hit

Decorative use

  • Ornate 羽子板(はごいた) are given as gifts, especially for a girl's first New Year
  • Often feature images of kabuki actors or beautiful women
  • Displayed as New Year decorations

SEASONAL WORD (季語(きご)): Winter/New Year in haiku poetry.

Related Words

Related: 凧揚(たこあ)げ (New Year activity)
Related: 福笑(ふくわら)い (New Year game)
general
Added 2026.1.19 8:54 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
07000/07129_hanetsuki