Darumasan ga koronda

This game is played by at least 3 players, one it(often called Oni) and others who act as players. Before starting, a starting line is drawn, and the it stands at a proper distance away from the starting line, normally standing in front of a tree or a wall.

There are large varieties and rules are often different town to town, street to street. In Osaka and surrounding region, this game is called "Bosan ga Hewo koita" (A bonze farted). Following is just one of the basic rule and its better to ask how to play it beforehand.

The game starts off with the shout of "hajime no ippo" ('Taking the first step!') by the players. With this shout, the players on the starting line jump one step in any direction often towards the it.

The main part of this game starts from here.

1. The it faces away from the other players towards the tree or the wall, so that he cannot see the other players. The it then chants a spell: "Daruma san ga koronnda" (the Daruma tumbled down). The other players approach the it as much as possible while this spell is spoken aloud.

2. When the it is finished with the spell, he can then turn around and look at the players. The players should stop their actions immediately when the last word is spoken and try not move an inch no mater what, while the it is looking at them.

3. The it checks if any player is moving. If nobody is moving, the "it" starts over again from step one. When the it does spot somebody moving he calls that player's name. The player who's name is called upon is caught. That player then have to go beside the it, and stands there holding one hand of the it. This player may not run away or help other players at all. If all the players are caught this way by the it (the caught players chain along, holding each other's hands), the person first caught is the next it.

4. When a player reaches the it or any of players caught, he gets to free these prisoners. To free them he shouts "Kitta!" (I cut you loose) and makes a gesture of slicing through between held hands of two players or by touching the back of the it.

5. Players freed run as fast as they can away from it. Players not freed may not run away. The it should turn as soon as he could and shout "Tomare!" (Stop!) and players should stop immediately. Players shouted upon are not immideately caught yet.

6. The it then takes five step from where he is standing and the player he touches is the next it. The it may not touch players he still has captured. If the it can touch no one, then he is the next it.

Popular tactics for this game is to chant at varying speed or chanting so fast that it's dangerous to move. Players often take strange position when stopping to show off his skill and it is quite common for the best player to stand right behind the it but not touch him. This player then might make a funny face when the it turns.