Jan-Ken-Pon (じゃんけんぽん) is the traditional Japanese version of Rock, Paper, Scissors. While it is played globally as a casual playground game to settle minor disputes, in Japan, it is a deeply embedded cultural ritual used by children, adults, and even corporations to make fair decisions.
The earliest ancestors of Rock, Paper, Scissors were created in ancient China.
According to a Chinese book called Wuzazu written during the Ming dynasty, the first recorded mention of a hand game dates back to the Han dynasty.
This game was called Shoushiling. It was a type of sansukumi-ken—which translates to a “three-way deadlock fist game”. The concept relied on a circular three-way hierarchy where Element A beats B, B beats C, and C beats A.
These Chinese fist games migrated to Japan in the 17th century through the trading port of Nagasaki.
-
One of the earliest popular variations in Japan was Mushi-ken (The Animal Fist).
-
Instead of rock, paper, and scissors, players represented three animals using their fingers:
- The Frog (Thumb) beats The Slug (Pinky).
- The Slug beats The Snake (Index finger).
- The Snake beats The Frog.
During the transition between the Edo and Meiji periods (late 1800s), the hand gestures were finally standardized into the objects we use today: Stone, Paper, and Scissors.
- Guu (グー) – The closed fist representing a rock.
- Choki (チョキ) – Two extended fingers representing scissors.
- Paa (パー) – The flat open hand representing paper.
This elegant version was far more intuitive than the animal variations and quickly exploded in popularity across Japanese schoolyards and social clubs.
By the early 1900s, Japan’s version began spreading to the rest of the world.]
- The West: International trade, media, and travel introduced Janken to Europe and the Americas, where it was directly translated into Rock, Paper, Scissors.
- Latin America & Immigration: Large waves of Japanese immigration to South America in the 20th century permanently brought the exact phrase Jan-Ken-Pon into the local languages of countries like Peru, Brazil, and Paraguay. Even today, children in Peru still yell “Yan-Ken-Po!” to play.
In Western countries, players often just count “1, 2, 3, shoot!” But in Japan, playing Janken is highly synchronized and follows a strict verbal ritual to ensure fairness and prevent cheating:
-
The Prelude: Players yell “Saisho wa guu!” (最初はグー! — “Starting with rock!”) while holding out a closed fist. This establishes a steady rhythm so everyone throws their true move at the exact same fraction of a second. _(This phrase was famously popularized in the 1970s by Japanese comedian Ken Shimura on a variety TV show).
-
The Throw: Players immediately swing their hands out together while chanting “Jan-ken-pon!” (じゃんけんぽん!), revealing their shape on the word “pon!”
-
The Tie-Breaker: If there is a tie, players instantly chant “Aiko desho!” (あいこでしょ! — “It’s a tie, right?”) in rapid succession without stopping until a clear winner emerges.