Otedama - beanbag

A toy for young girls consisting of small cloth bags filled with pebbles, azuki beans, rice, etc. Also called te-dama or te-dama-tori. There are sets of 5, 7, or 9 bags, and one of the bags is made large or easy to see. While singing a counting song (te-dama song), one bag is tossed into the air, while the player scatters several objects scattered below. Alternatively, several bean bags are tossed up in one hand and then both hands, alternately, and the player catches them without letting them fall, and this is repeated. It can be played on one knee, while standing or while walking. In the past, it was played with pebbles and was called "ishinago" or "ishina-dori." In the Kansai region, it is called "ishinago," in Okayama, "nana-shi," and in Yamaguchi, "ishiki," which are remnants of this name. This game became common during the Kamakura period, and it is said that it was around that time that Hotei versions began to be made. In the Edo period, cloth items made from rags became popular in each household, and ornate items such as Nishiki, silk, and crepe also appeared. At first, small stones were put in, but later, azuki beans came to be used more often to soften the impact. They have been commercialized since the Meiji period.

This game has been seen all over the world since ancient times, and in Greek mythology there is a scene in which the great god Zeus enjoys this game and gives it to Eros, the son of the goddess of love. It seems to have been popular in Roman times as well, and there are illustrations of beanbags in carvings excavated from Pompeii. It seems that adult women also enjoyed it. Originally, sheep's leg bones were used, but around the Renaissance five small marbles or other materials were used, and so the name "fivestones" remains today.

[Ryosuke Saito]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

布製の小さな袋に、小石、小豆(あずき)、米などを入れた少女の玩具(がんぐ)。手玉、手玉取りともいう。袋の数は5個、7個、9個1組になっていて、そのなかの1個を大きく、あるいは見やすくつくる。数取り歌（手玉歌）を歌いながら1個を空中に投げている間に、下にまいた数個のものを取りさばく。または数個のお手玉を片手、両手で交互に投げ上げて落ちないように受け、これを繰り返す遊び。立ち膝(ひざ)でするほか、立ってするもの、歩きながら行うものがある。古くは小石で行われ、「いしなご」「いしなどり」とよばれた。関西で「いしなご」、岡山あたりで「なないし」、山口で「いしき」などといっているのはその名残(なごり)である。この遊びは鎌倉時代には一般化し、布袋製のものがつくり始められたのは当時からともいう。江戸時代に入って各家庭で裁(た)ち裂(ぎれ)などを利用して布製のものが普及し、錦(にしき)、絹、縮緬(ちりめん)など華美なものも現れた。最初は小石を入れたが、当たりを柔らげるため、のちには小豆類が多く使われるようになった。明治期から商品化もされている。

　この遊びは古くから世界各地でみられ、ギリシア神話にも大神ゼウスがこの遊びを楽しみ、愛の女神の子エロスにこれを与える場面がある。ローマ時代にも盛んだったらしく、ポンペイ出土の彫り絵にもお手玉遊びの図がある。成人女性も楽しんだらしい。もとは羊の足の骨も用いたが、ルネサンスころには大理石などの小球5個を用いたので、現在ファイブストーンズfivestonesの呼び名が残っている。

［斎藤良輔］

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