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By Toshiya Minami / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer
made of steel with diameters of about 3 centimeters
spin after being released onto a platform called a “toko,” sometimes emitting sparks as they collide with each other
The winning top is the one that pushes out all the other pieces
or the one that keeps spinning until the end
At the Beigoma Shiryokan museum in Kawaguchi
local elementary school students gather to play beigoma
Children in downtown Tokyo began playing the game around the end of the Taisho era (1912-1926)
and it became very popular through the postwar period in the 1950s and 1960s
It is said to have its origins in the Heian period (794-1185)
was stuffed with sand and spun on a string
The name “baigoma” — which combined the name of the shell with “koma” (spinning top) — apparently became “beigoma” after it was introduced to the Kanto region
including ones shaped like an ochoko sake cup that were produced in the Taisho era
and ceramic ones made during wartime when iron was in short supply
Beigoma inscribed with the names of baseball stars were particularly eye-catching
It is said that Nagashima was more popular among children because the kanji had more strokes
making the top heavier and therefore making it easier to win
The museum was originally opened on the premises of the city’s Nissan Chuzojo
a foundry specializing in the production of beigoma
the company moved to a smaller office and the museum was at risk of closure
the museum was donated to the city’s Board of Education and reopened in the Kawaguchi City Cultural Properties Center
a member of staff from the city’s Board of Education
“A space for children to play with the tops was indispensable for the museum.”
such as by setting aside time to teach beigoma games in elementary schools
Children who learned about the appeal of the game then began to visit the museum
Beigoma used to be thought of as a boy’s game in the past
play against each other with shouts of joy
The mix of a retro game with new players can be seen at the museum
Access: A 10-minute walk from Hatogaya Station on the Saitama Railway
Admission is ¥100; ¥50 for elementary and junior high school students
Memo: Beigoma can be purchased at nearby Nissan Chuzojo
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