In 2023, during a visit to Kyoto, I picked up some flashcards for memorizing the kimari-ji syllables of the Hyakunin Isshu poems (product link here). These flashcards were really helpful in those first few months of learning to play karuta, and although I don’t really use them anymore, I kept them around for nostalgia…

But… after I took my flashcards to the office one day recently to show some curious co-workers about the Hyakunin Isshu and Karuta, I forgot to take them out of my pants pocket. This is what happened after they got washed…

Initially, I tried to just let the ring dry out, but it’s pretty water-logged. Plus, I found that if was careful, I could peel the cards apart one by one, so they could dry much faster….

Sadly, a few cards ripped in the process, but I think I have salvaged about 80% of the cards. In reality, I will likely purchase it again anyway (preferably with extras to give out to others) since it is very cheap. However, shipping overseas is pretty expensive, so I have to wait until I am in Japan again.

And so, like cherry blossoms and moonlit nights, all things fade. Unlike cherry blossoms and moonlit nights, my flashcards faded in my pants pocket in the washing machine.