Kagome Kagome

Kagome Kagome (Japaneseかごめ かごめ) is a Japanese game for kids. One child is selected as Oni ( " demon " or "monster" ) and sits blindfolded in the middle of the circle. The other children hold each others hands and walk in a circle around the " Oni " as they sing the song to the game. If the song and thus the orbit stops, the " Oni " have to say the name of the person behind him, and if he's right, that person changes places with the " Oni ".

Kagome literally means " Korb-/Käfigauge " where the eye with stitches are meant here. The name of the game comes from the fact that the Oni sits like a bird in the cage of the other children.

Lyrics

The exact text of the song varies regionally. A variant is:

Translation:

Kagome, Kagome, the bird in the cage, when will you come out? In the evening of the dawn, Who is behind the traps of the turtle and the crane? Who is now behind you?

Sometimes the last two lines are translated to the following:

At dawns and evenings. Who is behind you, Where a crane and a turtle from slipping and falling?