How do you feel hearing a word "mahjong"? Perhaps you'll think that mahjong is difficult, unpopular, immoral, and so on. But probably you think mahjong seems to interesting at the same time. I want you to be a mahjong player by this blog.
Mahjong is a table game, using 136 tiles and 68 score sticks and pair of dices. This game played by 4 people. Tiles are printed a pattern of bamboo, circle or kanji. It is like the pattern of cards. Score sticks are printed many points. Player’s purpose is take score sticks by other players. Dices are used to decide an order. It is necessary item. These are very small. We should treat them carefully. If you lose one of the tiles, you can’t play mahjong ever. I do not recommend you to play with a child. He or she spoils your mahjong tiles. That’s very sad.
Mahjong takes very long time. Usually, 1 or 2 hour is taken in one game. Mahjong players play games some times, so they spent about ten hours in one day (or couple of days). Sturdy (not study) students often play mahjong all night long, and see a sunrise together. This unhealthy playing style is called by them “tetsuman”. “tetsu” means all-night sitting, “man” means a mahjong. They battle all night long, and sleep all next day long.
When we play, we should use a playing mat. It shapes square and makes from rubber, polyester or rayon. This item can make the game more silent. Mahjong is very noisy game. Tile shuffling makes terrible sound. Mahjong players are often scolded by their neighbor. So, playing mat is needed. All Japanese people have kotatsu. We set a playing mat on a kotatsu, and game very comfortable.
Various items are required as written above. How much are these? A set of tiles, sticks and dices is about 3,000 yen even if cheap. Mat costs about 3,000 yen, too. A beginner not has to buy them. Go to friends who have them and play together. He or she will not refuse. They want to play a mahjong too, and a mahjong needs 4 players.
Mahjong is very strategic and interesting game. Table game players (poker, donjara, monopoly) need strategy. I think they should play mahjong. To get other players’ score sticks, we have to use our all intelligence.
