also: いろはがるた
noun
iroha karuta; Japanese matching card game
A traditional card game usually consisting of 48 reading cards and 48 picture cards, often played during New Year. The name comes from the iroha poem used on the cards.
お正月に家族でいろはカルタをして遊んだ。
We played iroha karuta with the family during New Year.
いろはカルタの読み札を聞いて、絵札を取る。
Listen to the reading card and grab the matching picture card in iroha karuta.
Ateji kanji spelling with 伊呂波 for いろは; very rare.
From いろは (iroha, the traditional ordering of Japanese kana) + カルタ (karuta, from Portuguese 'carta', meaning card). The game uses the iroha poem as the basis for the reading cards.