Interesting Tidbits: Hanafuda

This drawing is by Sebastian McKinnon.
I did NOT draw this. I did NOT.

Over the course of my stay in Japan, I think hanafuda cards have been one of the most important bonding agents between me and my current friends. Although I had left my own set of cards at home, I now own a new set, which I have bought in shabby-looking shop in the backstreets of Minami-Senju, the first area I landed. It cost me roughly 1,50$.
 Hanafuda cards are basically the local people's response to traditional western playing cards having been banned a few centuries ago. Of course, the ban has long since been lifted, but hanafuda remains as a vestige of the era.
 Just like regular playing cards, a number of different games can be played with the hanafuda deck, which contains 48 cards arranged in 12 sets of 4. Each set of 4 depicts a different flower, and most of the games involve matching the pictures. There are no numbers on the cards.
 Nowadays, hanafuda is played mostly by gangsters and the homeless, with most Japanese people having no idea how to play any games using the deck. I, myself, only learned to play through a video game called Yakuza.

 These days, hanafuda (notably the game koi-koi) has been a major pass-time among friends and I. Japanese people are often quite surprised to see I can play. Here's a list of people I've taught to play, both in Japan and Canada.

In Canada:
 - Julien
 - Sebastian
 - Josiah
 - Mama Kazumi

In Japan:
 - Mori
 - Jon
 - Julian
 - Ken
 - Erika