KAGOME KAGOME
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Kagome Kagome is a popular Japanese children game. A child will be chosen as a "oni" (demon) for sitting and covering his eyes. The other children are joining their hands and walking around him. They have to sing the Kagome Kagome song and when they are finished singing, the oni in the middle has to say the name of the person who is standing behind him. If he is correct that person will become the next demon.

The origins of the song are quite unknown. There are a lot of rumors. One is that the old farmers in Premodern Japan wanted to protest against their lords. Back then, it was very common in poor farmer families with many children who coulnd't afford another awaiting baby to kill him secretly. But a protest could mean death penalty as well and so they invented this song. "Kagome" would mean a pregnant woman and the bird in the cage was the baby. In Japan, cranes and turtles are symbolizing innocence and a thousand year of happiness(life). "Who stands behind you now?" can also mean "Who is the backstabber?"