Kogechan jouant au hanetsuki avec une hagoita dans les mains et entouré de hagoita décoratives

Hagoita: The Racket That Drives Away Evil Spirits

Just before New Year's, Kogechan rummages through an old flea market crate,
pulling out a beautifully decorated racket: it's a hagoita!

Sit down, grab a warm tea: today, Kogechan tells you the joyful and protective story of hagoita, these emblematic objects of Japanese New Year.

Hagoita, what is it?

The hagoita (羽子板) was originally a wooden racket used for a traditional Japanese game called hanetsuki.
It has been known in Japan since the Edo period (17th century), or even a little before.

Two main types exist:

  • 🟤 Game hagoita, simple and flat
  • 🎭 Decorative hagoita, richly adorned, which have become true works of art

It's these latter ones that make Kogechan's heart beat... and KOGEDO's.

If you're interested in traditional New Year's objects, also check out our article on engimono, Japanese lucky charms (coming soon)

estampe représentant 2 jeunes femmes jouant au hanetsuki

Hanetsuki: the (merciless) New Year's game

Hanetsuki is traditionally played during the New Year, often among young girls.

The principle is simple:

  • you hit a small shuttlecock (the hane) back and forth,
  • without a net,
  • until someone misses.

And then... punishment 😈
The loser gets marks drawn on their face with ink or charcoal.

"At the end of the game, you don't know who won... but you definitely know who lost."

But behind the game lies a serious idea:
to strike evil, symbolized by the shuttlecock, to get rid of it at the beginning of the year.

estampe représentant une hagoita

👹 A weapon against evil spirits

Very quickly, the hagoita went beyond a simple game.

It became:

  • a protective talisman,
  • an object of wishes for health,
  • a gift offered to young girls for their birth or their first New Year.

Why?
Because striking with a hagoita is symbolically warding off illness, bad luck, and evil spirits.

"A racket? No. A ritual weapon of polished wood."

Hagoita japonaise décorative en textile et soie anciens, art traditionnel japonais en relief oshi-e

Decorative hagoita: a miniature theater

From the end of the Edo period, hagoita became true relief scenes.

They are decorated with:

  • old fabrics (chirimen) often silk from old Obi,
  • paper,
  • sometimes lacquer,
  • and a lot, a lot of patience.

The most common motifs:

  • 🎭 kabuki actors (heroic, expressive figures),
  • 👘 women in kimono, symbols of beauty and elegance,
  • historical or protective figures.

Each hagoita tells a story.
Some seem almost ready to take the stage.

Art textile japonais traditionnel, motif floral de sakura sur soie utilisé dans les décors oshi-e

Oshi-e, in a nutshell

Decorative hagoita are mainly made using oshi-e:
a traditional craft technique that involves layering paper, wadding, and fabrics to create relief.

The result: expressive faces, voluminous silk kimonos, almost alive.

To go further: Oshi-e, the Japanese art of fabric relief (coming soon)

🔍 Kogechan's eye: how to recognize a beautiful hagoita

When Kogechan examines an antique hagoita, he observes:

  • the finesse of the face,
  • the quality and age of the fabrics,
  • the balance of colors,
  • the general condition

Showa hagoita (a period we particularly love at KOGEDO) often offer a wonderful balance between tradition and accessibility.

👉 You can discover other decorative objects from the same era in our selection Antique Japanese Decorative Objects

Hagoita at KOGEDO

At KOGEDO, we select our hagoita just as we choose all our objects:
with heart, eye, and great respect for their history.

An antique, handmade object that continues to speak to the present.

🦝 Kogechan's final word

"If you see a hagoita hanging on the wall, don't be mistaken...
It's not just a pretty decoration.
It's a protective talisman watching over the home."

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