noun
kitsune-ken; fox game
A traditional Japanese hand game similar to rock-paper-scissors, using three gestures: fox, hunter, and village headman. The fox defeats the headman, the headman defeats the hunter, and the hunter defeats the fox.
狐拳は、狐と猟師と庄屋の三すくみで勝負を決める遊びです。
Kitsune-ken is a game decided by the three-way deadlock of fox, hunter, and village headman.
江戸時代には、狐拳が酒
In the Edo period, kitsune-ken was often played as entertainment at drinking parties.
じゃんけん is the modern rock-paper-scissors game, while 狐拳 is a traditional variant with different hand gestures and rules.
The name 狐拳 literally means 'fox fist' or 'fox game', referring to the fox gesture used in the game. The exact origin is uncertain, but it is a traditional Japanese hand game dating back to the Edo period.