shell-matching game with waka poems
Historical game using clam shells inscribed with waka stanzas; related to 歌ガルタ. The term is now primarily encountered in descriptions of traditional pastimes.
See also: 歌かるた
Utagai is a game where you match clam shells with waka poems written on them.
Compound of 歌 (uta, 'song/poem') and 貝 (kai, 'shell'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the name directly describes the game's materials.