also: めくりかるた
mekuri karuta; traditional Japanese card game
Refers to a specific historical card game using a deck of 48 (later 49) cards, especially popular in the late Edo period. The term can also denote the deck itself.
In the Edo period, mekuri karuta was popular among common people.
I saw cards from that era's mekuri karuta at the museum.
Rarely used as a synonym for hanafuda (花札). This usage is uncommon and may be encountered only in older or specialized contexts.
See also: 花札
In some regions, hanafuda is sometimes called mekuri karuta.
From めくり (turning over) + カルタ (cards, from Portuguese 'carta'). The name describes the action of flipping cards in the game.