@The History of Sugoroku

ĦBirth of Pictured Sugoroku

The first pictured Sugoroku is supposed to be the Buddhist one which is invented to make monks study Buddhist terms. It is thus called Terms Sugoroku as well. Drawn with carbon ink, no pictures yet.
This Buddhist Sugoroku is said to have been used from mid 13th century.

The pictured Sugoroku emerged in Edo era then at last, it widespread everywhere in Japan.

Jodo Sugoroku hit its peak at Hoei era, but began to decline at Shotoku era and was non existent at Kasei era. Its theme was rewarding good and punishing evil philosophy based on the Chines Buddhist Selection drawing, so its goal was the Buddhist paradise.
What interesting here is the existence and function of Yochin, which means eternal sunk or despair. Once your piece spots in this block, you will be discarded from the game immediately. This represents the "pose once" in later days. The pictured Sugoroku was settled with this jodo sugoroku and made popularized and generated many variances at once.

It was the technique of Ukiyo-e, multiple colored printing with wood plates which was at the highest level of the world those days, accelerated this move. Many variances were developed then such as actor, journey, sight seeing, artistic, brave, family teaching, war and etc. with help of these innovation from hard- and software sides both.

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