Suikawari facts for kids

Suikawari (スイカ割り, suika-wari, lit. Watermelon Splitting) is a fun, traditional Japanese game. It's all about trying to break open a watermelon with a stick while you're blindfolded! People usually play Suikawari in the summer, especially at beaches, festivals, picnics, and other sunny events. It's a great way to cool down and have some laughs with friends and family.

Suikawari being played on a beach in Japan.

A family preparing to play Suikawari at a picnic in Tokyo, 2018

How to Play Suikawari

The game of Suikawari is a bit like playing piñata. Here's how it usually works:

Getting Ready

• First, a big, ripe watermelon is placed on the ground.
• Often, a sheet or cardboard is put under the watermelon. This helps keep the fruit clean from sand or dirt.

Taking Your Turn

• One player at a time steps up to play.
• They put on a blindfold so they can't see anything.
• Then, someone gently spins them around three times. This makes it harder to know where the watermelon is!
• The player is given a wooden stick. Sometimes this stick is called a bokken, which is a wooden practice sword.

Finding the Watermelon

• Once blindfolded and spun, the player tries to find the watermelon.
• Friends or teammates can shout out hints! They might say "left," "right," or "straight ahead" to guide the player.
• The goal is to hit the watermelon hard enough to crack it open.
• The first person to successfully break the watermelon wins the round!

Sharing the Treat

• After the watermelon is broken, everyone gets to enjoy the yummy pieces! It's a sweet reward for all the fun.

Fun Facts About Suikawari Rules

Did you know that there were once "official" rules for Suikawari? Back in 1991, a group in Japan made a list of rules for the game. They wanted to make sure everyone played fairly and had a good time. Even though this group doesn't exist anymore, their rules show how much people love this game!

Some of their ideas for playing included:

• The player should stand about 5 to 7 meters (about 16 to 23 feet) away from the watermelon.
• The stick used should be about 120 centimeters (about 4 feet) long.
• Judges would even rate how nicely the watermelon was broken! A clean break into two equal halves would get a high score.

It just goes to show how much fun and tradition are packed into this simple summer game!