 Three Scenic Places
Three Scenic Places
The
Komoto
and/or the guests choose three scenic places in the world. Each place will be
represented by a unique aloeswood. In Japan, these special places are
Matsushima, Amanohashidate, and Itsukushima. We’re playing
informal games though and so we may choose any three places in the world.
Four unique kinds of aloeswood are used. One for each scenic spot and the fourth
represents the boat to take us there.
Three different aloeswoods represent each of the three special places.
Cut two pieces off each of
these woods, to about the size of a grain of rice, and wrap into
packets. One
of each of these is a sample.
Each packet has a small upside down label
inside which denotes the
type of aloeswood it contains.
The fourth aloeswood represents the boat, and is cut to grain-of-rice size
and wrapped into a single packet. Seven packets total; two each of the three
special places woods and one boat.
Step 1
The
Komoto
prepares, announces the names, and passes one sample of each of
the three aloeswoods representing special spots to the guests. This gives each guest an association for each aroma. Guests listen
to each of the three special spot aloeswoods and try and remember each wood.
Step 2
The
Komoto
shuffles
the four remaining packets, then prepares and passes around each wood without
naming them. Used packets are arranged in the order used.
Step 3
Guests
listen to each wood and record their answers as to which aloeswood was which
special place and
which was the boat.
Scoring sheets would look something like this:
1st wood = Matsushima (or other designated place)
2nd wood = Amanohashidate (or other designated place)
3rd wood = The Boat
4th wood = Itsukushima (or other designated place)
The
Komoto
opens the packets used, reads the hidden labels and reveals the answers.
The purpose of the game is to enjoy
the places, and each of the woods. Answers are interpreted as:
If all three places and the boat are
guessed correctly, it's said that you encountered beautiful weather and have
visited all three scenic spots.
If three woods were identified
correctly, you encountered clear weather and have visited two scenic spots with your boat now heading towards the
third.
If two woods were identified, it's
interpreted as the scenic spots were somewhat obscured by the evening mist.
It only one wood is guessed correctly, it was due to
the morning mist, which lingers longer than evening mist and thus obscures the
scenery further. *If the one wood identified was the boat, then the
player is said to have viewed each of the spots from the boat, without actually having
set foot on land.
And if none of the woods were guessed
correctly it was because the mist at times, can be as thick as clouds,
in which case nothing can be seen.
*From "The
Book of Incense," by Kiyoko Morita
Other Kodo Games
The Game of Three |
The Rikkoku Journey
|
