Japanese Billiards

skor

skor

missing shots since 1995
Silver Member
Hi,

I run into the term "Japanese Billiards" and I know that the French refer to one of the games of billiards as "Japanese Billiards".
Does anyone know to which game the French refer to?
 
Never heard of it, but from what I've heard (mostly on this site) they almost exclusively play 9-ball in Japan. Other games aren't very popular there.

-Andrew
 
From what I could find is that in the past the French referred to 3 types of billiard games – "American”, “Russian” or “Japanese” billiards.

And although I know what they mean by "American" and "Russian", I have no idea what is "Japanese" billiards.
 
skor said:
From what I could find is that in the past the French referred to 3 types of billiard games – "American”, “Russian” or “Japanese” billiards.

And although I know what they mean by "American" and "Russian", I have no idea what is "Japanese" billiards.
Click to expand...
Perhaps they meant Korean 4-ball billiards. That is played with 65mm balls on a table that is smaller than the standard (French) carom table. Korean 4-ball has been discussed recently in the carom forum on this site. Roughly, you have to make your cue ball hit both of the red balls without hitting your opponent's cue ball. The last point of the match must be made by a 3-cushion shot.
 
Thanks, I think you are right.... I'm gonna start digging in that diraction
 
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I think the "Japanese' is probably what we call 3 cushion and the 4 ball version is the "Korean / French " .
 
I would guess that what most refer to "Japanese Billiards" is in fact a billiard game played with 4 balls. Most of the older players that I know here in Japan often tell me that they've been playing for more than 20 years, but "back then, it was all "yotsu tama." Yotsu=4 Tama=ball Don't know much about it, but it's a game called 4-ball if you translate it directly. Have never seen it played, but all the old timers played it exclusively back in the day.
Today in Japan, all players and bangers alike play primarily 9-ball. Once in a while, you'll see a couple of house pros messing around with 14:1, but not playing seriously. The pro tour has an 8 ball tournament every once in a while, but many of the pros pass. One pocket doesn't exist.
However, there is a nationwide amateur organization that is divided up into prefectures (or by state) that is exclusively rotation. It's all based on a point system, with the top teams and individuals competing for state and national titles. There's no money in it period, so often times, the best in the state is NOT really the best player in the state.
dave
 
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