02/10/2025
I giochi di carte sono diffusi ormai in tutte le fasce di età. A Kawara, città giapponese, è stato creato Ojisan, gioco di carte che rappresenta, al posto di personaggi immaginari, campioni sportivi o altre celebrità, i membri più anziani della comunità.
Il Giappone ha un grande problema di solitudine degli anziani e di lontananza tra la vita dei ragazzi e quella degli adulti. Il gioco sta cambiando l'immagine degli anziani agli occhi dei più giovani, rendendoli interessanti e permettendo loro di scoprire le loro vite.
https://www.facebook.com/SustainableHumanOfficial/posts/pfbid0dWStdb13vuG2Y39V1bK5CLez63gT2huUXutWyFdzaQFqYoaWcstCS6Fh2xCyqp4Xl
In Kawara, a small mountain town in Japan with just 10,000 residents, something extraordinary is happening. And no—it’s not a new tech startup or anime launch.
It’s a trading card game—but with a powerful twist.
Instead of fictional monsters or sports stars, the cards feature real-life town elders—middle-aged and older people who’ve quietly dedicated their lives to craft, service, and community.
Kids now line up at the Saidosho Community Center to collect cards like:
- Mr. Takesh*ta, the 81-year-old soba noodle master
- Mr. Fujii, a 67-year-old former prison guard turned beloved volunteer
- And a retired fire chief who deals "200 fire damage" as part of the game the children invented themselves
At less than a dollar a card, or $3 for a full pack, these hand-made, always sold-out cards have transformed the town.
But this isn’t just cute—it’s healing. In Japan, where the population is rapidly aging, loneliness among older adults is a growing crisis. Many elders live in quiet isolation, especially in rural towns. At the same time, younger generations often grow up with fewer connections to older mentors or wisdom-keepers in their communities.
What these cards are doing is bridging that gap in the most imaginative and heartwarming way. Kids who once saw elders as “boring” or irrelevant now see them as heroes. They trade stories along with cards. They learn. They laugh. They ask for autographs.
And for the elders? Many of them have spent decades feeling invisible—until now. “I never imagined I’d become a trading card, let alone have fans,” said Mr. Fujii, laughing.
The woman behind this idea is Eri Miyahara, the secretary general of the community center, who said: “It was such a shame that no one knew about these amazing people… now, kids are starting to look up to them as heroic figures.”
Since launching the cards, youth participation at the center has doubled.
Elders who rarely left home now come to the center regularly—because they’re being seen.
This story isn’t just about a game. It’s about what happens when we create spaces where generations can meet—not just physically, but emotionally. Where kids can learn from the past. Where elders can feel valued in the present. And where everyone starts to imagine a more connected future. Imagine if every town did this. Imagine what might grow from that kind of love.
