Learning: Counting in Japanese

Attributes: tatami, obi or taped ‘lines’

Depending on the dojo’s tatami floor you can do this fun-damental. Otherwise ‘Go Ai-ki-do’  works for you. 

Each row of tatami is ‘one count’. So when you have 10 rows the last row is ‘Yu’. Everyone has to stand on the first row which is ‘Ichi’. When you call out for ‘San’, everyone has to run to the 3rd tatami. The person finishing last has to sit down on the side.

Variation 1: Did you know this is a great way to learn Math in Japanese? 1+1 is ‘Ni’

Variation 2: Instead of running you can do shikko / jumps / hopping

Variation 3: Highest rank have to count backwards so when you say 1, you mean for them to go to 10. And if you say 7, they have to run to 3. 

Tip: It sounds easy, but if you want to let the kids run to the right tatami row, make sure you know the rows too.