noun
neawase; Heian-period root-pulling game
Historical term for a Heian-period court game in which participants pulled up sweet flags (菖蒲) and competed over whose plant had the longest roots. Often mentioned alongside 物合わせ (monoawase) contests.
See also: 物合わせ
根合わせは、平安時代の宮中で行われた遊びの一つである。
Neawase is one of the games played at the Heian-period court.
『源氏物語』にも根合わせの場面が描かれている。
A scene of neawase is also depicted in The Tale of Genji.
物合わせ is a broader category of Heian-period matching games, while 根合わせ specifically involves comparing the roots of sweet flags.
Compound of 根 (ne, 'root') and 合わせ (awase, 'matching, contest'). The exact historical origin is uncertain, but it is associated with Heian-period court culture.