Everyday Janken

Submitted by HelenAuer on Thu, 2009/05/21 - 12:57.

I'm just curious to know how often you use Janken in and out of school. I'm more interested on your thoughts, if you've been in Japan for at least a year, if you find yourself using Janken more and more.

When you do use it, do you try and strategize against the person or persons you are playing against? Or do you just change your choice at random?

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Brent's picture

Saishyo What?

Submitted by Brent on Thu, 2009/05/21 - 16:02.

When I was regularly schools I used Janken like crazy. The kids responded well to it and in alot of classes activities involving janken worked better than activities without. Also, playing janken helped timid kids become comfortable around me. I may have been a funny looking giant, but since I played janken I couldn't be all bad.

However, I don't think think my out of school Janken habits have really changed. I don't think I use it more or less now than I did before Japan when it was just "Rock, Paper, Scissors."

I've never strategized and almost always choose randomly.

******************************************
Brent Thomas
ALT Advisor
tel: 027-226-4618
email: thomas-br(at)pref(dot)gunma(dot)jp
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I use it a lot in those

Submitted by kalandorl on Thu, 2009/05/21 - 17:17.

I use it a lot in those little interview activities. I always choose the same thing though, rock. The kids all know it, so the braver ones will come up to me and hit paper so that they can go first, and the more timid ones will do scissors so that I have to go first and then they can just follow what I do.

Don't really ever use it outside of school, or for that matter class situations.

tanabata's picture

I *heart* janken.

Submitted by tanabata on Fri, 2009/05/22 - 13:17.

I rarely to never "janken-ed" in the States, but upon coming here and realizing that the simple act of janken could solve even the most difficult of crises, I have fallen in love.

Adding janken to the most mundane of classroom activties (i.e. conversation practice) makes a game of it (janken. winner says part A. loser, part B. must win 5 times.) Mary Poppins would be proud. Janken "makes the job a game." Competition can be a powerful motivator.
Also, when playing "karuta," or other activities that may involve dispute, janken saves the day (although, I still have kids who cry when we play karuta...note to self: find a different game.)

When "janken-ing," my "strategy" is to stay the same. I use alot of patterns at school...which students still have yet to figure out (funny thing how we can psyche ourselves out.) That being said, I try to make it easy for the kids to beat me.

As far as janken outside of the classroom, I've been involved in marathon sessions to decide teams (eventually the kids give up and go with just "gu to pa de wakeyo"), etc. The number of 1st grader who wanted to "janken" just for the sake of the game is always an indicator of the draw that "janken" has on the kids.

Janken: a cherry-flavored life saver, if you ask me (the best kind.)

Janken Comments

Submitted by HelenAuer on Thu, 2009/06/18 - 09:34.

Whatever happens... happens.

Thanks for your responses! Do you mind if I 'quote' you later on for a possible Gunmania article?

you can email me at kentaha2@yahoo.com

janken

Submitted by Azollo on Thu, 2009/06/25 - 16:05.

In Japan, janken has virtually replaced lawyers and court systems.