6.8/1037 votesLoading...#1 - Wait for the Emperor's Return
Season 2 Episode 16 - Aired 4/27/2013
A look back on season 2.
Director: Jun Shishido
Writer: N/A
6.9/1045 votesLoading...#2 - The Autumn Leaves of Mount Ogura
Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 1/25/2012
A recap and some animated four-panel comics.
Director: Kotono Watanabe
Writer: Naoya Takayama
7.9/1049 votesLoading...#3 - As My First Love Came
Season 2 Episode 2 - Aired 1/19/2013
At the Shiranami Society, Taichi plays Tsuboguchi, who has graduated from college and is now a high school teacher.
Director: Masaharu Tomoda
Writer: Ayako Kato
8.0/1084 votesLoading...#4 - Now the Flower Blooms
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 10/5/2011
Sixth grade was when Ayase Chihaya met Wataya Arata, the transfer student from Fukui. The shy and quiet Arata was hiding a surprising talent. He knew how to play the competitive karuta version of Ogura's Hundred Poets. Chihaya is stunned by the intensity Arata displays when playing karuta.
Director: Morio Asaka
Writer: Yuko Kakihara
8.0/1064 votesLoading...#5 - But for Autumn's Coming
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 11/16/2011
Kanade has joined the karuta club as the third member, while Chihaya continues to recruit members. First, she scouts the second-smartest student in their grade, Komano Tsutomu, who happens to be in her class. Chihaya calls him Desktomu-kun. However, he tells her that karuta is just a game and he would rather spend that time studying. Chihaya insists that Desktomu-kun play a game first and she drags him to the clubroom.
Director: Kazuo Nogami
Writer: Ayako Kato
8.0/1056 votesLoading...#6 - World Offers No Escape
Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 2/1/2012
The national tournament has ended, and the members of Mizusawa's karuta club have established some individual goals. Taichi and Porky need to reach Class A. Kana-chan and Desktomu-kun need to start playing in tournaments. And Chihaya is practicing for the East qualifier. However, Dr. Harada suddenly tells Chihaya to stop taking cards with her speed, and she has to rethink how she plays karuta.
Director: Kazuo Nogami
Writer: Sumino Kawashima
8.1/1068 votesLoading...#7 - Now Bloom Inside the Nine-fold Palace
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 11/9/2011
After Ms. Miyauchi tells Chihaya that she needs five members to start an official club, Chihaya starts recruiting. One day, Oe Kanade, a fan of classical literature whose family owns a traditional clothing store, visits the karuta club. She is shocked by the gap between the elegant karuta of the Imperial Court and competitive karuta. However, Chihaya wants Kanade to realize how fun competitive karuta can be.
Director: Hideki Hosokawa
Writer: Sumino Kawashima
8.1/1062 votesLoading...#8 - The Sounds of the Waterfall
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 11/23/2011
The karuta club only needs one more member to become an official club. Chihaya and the other members continue working to recruit members, but they're having trouble finding anyone who's interested in joining. But then one day, Chihaya runs into Porky, her old opponent from back when she was in grade school. Porky is on the tennis team and he refuses to join the karuta club. However, Chihaya perceives that Porky still loves karuta, so she challenges him to a match.
Director: Fumihiro Yoshimura
Writer: Satoshi Suzuki
8.1/1046 votesLoading...#9 - The fall paddy shacks
Season 2 Episode 20 - Aired 5/25/2013
The Mizusawa karuta club has won the team championship, becoming the number one team in Japan. The players reflect upon the path they took to the championship. After Chihaya remembers the pain in her finger, she is taken to the hospital.
Director: Kotono Watanabe
Writer: Ayako Kato
8.2/1080 votesLoading...#10 - The Red That Is
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 10/12/2011
Chihaya's proclamation leads to a showdown between Mashima Taichi and the transfer student Arata, who is being shunned by their class. The stubborn Taichi, who's upset by how close Chihaya and Arata have gotten, steals Arata's glasses in the middle of the tournament. Arata, good as he may be, is unable to take cards without his glasses. That is when Chihaya steps in to take his place.
Director: Yoshitaka Makino
Writer: Ayako Kato
8.2/1068 votesLoading...#11 - A Whirlwind of Flower Petals Descends
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 10/26/2011
Arata returns with his family to Fukui after his grandfather falls ill. The three of them believe that as long as they continue to play karuta, they will be reunited. Now in high school, Chihaya has entered a tournament to qualify for Class A so Taichi will help her start a karuta club. Once Taichi sees how Chihaya is enjoying herself, he finds himself being swayed—
Director: Tomokazu Tokoro
Writer: Ayako Kato
8.2/1066 votesLoading...#12 - So The Flower Has Wilted
Season 2 Episode 1 - Aired 1/12/2013
A new school year has started and the Karuta club must get new members or face penalties. Discussing the goals of the club, Chihaya discovers the team is not as unified as she thought.
Director: Tomomi Muraoka
Writer: Yuko Kakihara
8.3/1062 votesLoading...#13 - For You, I Head Out
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 1/4/2012
The Mizusawa High School Karuta Club members visit the Omi Jingu shrine to pray for their victory. However, Chihaya is acting strangely during her match. Meanwhile, Arata reflects upon his separation from karuta and his grandfather as he heads towards Omi Jingu.
Director: Jun Shishido
Writer: Akemi Moriyama
8.3/1056 votesLoading...#14 - The Plum Blossoms Still Smell the Same
Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 2/8/2012
Chihaya finally gets to play her first Class A match, while the other members are looking to advance their rank through a strong tournament showing. Chihaya's opponent Kanai Sakura, who has 35 years of karuta experience. Chihaya is faster, but she has trouble taking cards. Her opponent constantly moves cards into positions that are difficult for her, and Chihaya soon realizes how tough Class A is. Will Chihaya be able to learn something from her match with Sakura?
Director: Fumio Maezono
Writer: Ayako Kato
8.3/1056 votesLoading...#15 - As My Sleeves Are Wet with Dew
Season 1 Episode 21 - Aired 2/29/2012
Chihaya is playing in the East Queen qualifier for a chance to face the Queen again. Her first opponent is the grade schooler Ririka, said to be a child prodigy. As Chihaya watches Ririka use speed play karuta, she begins to understand what it means to play karuta without speed.
Director: Tomoaki Ohta
Writer: Yuko Kakihara
8.3/1049 votesLoading...#16 - My Only Thought
Season 2 Episode 9 - Aired 3/9/2013
One wrong decision can ruin Arata's chance this season to make his comeback…
Director: Kazuo Nogami
Writer: Sumino Kawashima
8.4/1063 votesLoading...#17 - But I Cannot Hide
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 11/30/2011
The karuta club has become an official club. Chihaya announces that the five of them will make it to the national tournament. The beginners, Kana-chan and Desktomu-kun, are worried, but Chihaya shows no mercy. Chihaya is set on making a strong karuta team and aiming for the top. And so, they decided to hold a camp.
Director: Yoshitaka Makino
Writer: Akemi Moriyama
8.4/1056 votesLoading...#18 - Just as My Beauty Has Faded
Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 3/7/2012
Chihaya's next opponent is the previous Queen, Yamamoto Yumi. Chihaya recalls the previous Queen being a very tenacious player. While Chihaya is fired up for her match against her opponent, Yumi is clearly not as interested in the match, which only serves to enflame Chihaya.
Director: Hideki Hosokawa
Writer: Sumino Kawashima
8.5/1075 votesLoading...#19 - The Sight of a Midnight Moon
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 11/2/2011
After Chihaya hears Arata say that he quit playing karuta, she and Taichi make a trip to Arata's home in Fukui. Once they find Arata, Chihaya is thrilled and suggest that they play karuta together again, but Arata turns her down. He's no longer the same boy he used to be. So Chihaya tries to learn the truth—
Director: Naoyuki Ito
Writer: Akemi Moriyama
8.5/1061 votesLoading...#20 - Exchange Hellos And Goodbyes
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 12/7/2011
Mizusawa High School karuta club makes its debut at the Tokyo regionals for the national championship. Mizusawa successfully makes it past the group stage. Desk-kun, who was unable to win a single match, feels that he isn't needed and says that he isn't going to play. Taichi realizes how Desk-kun feels, so he makes a decision as the club president to bring the team together.
Director: Naoyuki Ito
Writer: Sumino Kawashima
8.5/1060 votesLoading...#21 - The Cresting Waves Almost Look Like Clouds in the Skies
Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 2/22/2012
The Mizusawa High School karuta club is gaining experience by participating in tournaments. However, Chihaya's grades are so bad that she is no longer allowed to participate, leaving Taichi to attend the next tournament by himself. There, he runs into Arata, who's returned to karuta. When Taichi and Chihaya see Arata playing karuta...
Director: Atsuko Ishizuka
Writer: Satoshi Suzuki
8.5/1062 votesLoading...#22 - Moonlight, Clear and Bright
Season 1 Episode 25 - Aired 3/28/2012
Everybody is shocked after hearing that Master Suo plays karuta with 28 one-syllable cards. Chihaya, Arata, Taichi, and the other karuta club members do some soul searching as they attempt to move forward.
Director: Morio Asaka, Hideki Hosokawa
Writer: Naoya Takayama
8.7/1062 votesLoading...#23 - Sets These Forbidden Fields Aglow
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 12/21/2011
After qualifying for the national tournament, the Mizusawa karuta members attempt to bolster their weaknesses. Chihaya and Taichi practice with the Shiranami Society while Porky, Desktomu-kun and Kana-chan practice with the Suihoku Karuta Society. Chihaya is overwhelmed by the pressure of the national tournament, but then she receives support from an unexpected source.
Director: Tomoaki Ohta
Writer: Sumino Kawashima
8.7/1058 votesLoading...#24 - Nobody Wishes to See the Beautiful Cherry Blossoms
Season 1 Episode 24 - Aired 3/21/2012
The Mizusawa karuta club is watching the Queen match and Master match at Taichi's home. The Queen has put on a great deal of weight, which makes it difficult for her to move as Yumi successfully takes cards away from her. Will the Queen be dethroned?
Director: migmi
Writer: Naoya Takayama
8.7/1052 votesLoading...#25 - Feel Love Deepen
Season 2 Episode 3 - Aired 1/26/2013
It is time for the High School Karuta Championship; the first years are amazed by the skill level of their upperclassman. Wataya continues his goal to the National High School Championships.
Director: Kazuo Nogami
Writer: Yuko Kakihara
The Worst Episodes of Chihayafuru
Every episode of Chihayafuru ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of Chihayafuru!
Chihaya Ayase has spent most of her life supporting her sister’s model career. When she meets a boy named Arata Wataya, he thinks Chihaya has...
Genres:AnimationDrama
Network:Nippon TV
Worst Episodes Summary
"Wait for the Emperor's Return" is the worst rated episode of "Chihayafuru". It scored 6.8/10 based on 37 votes. Directed by Jun Shishido and written by N/A, it aired on 4/27/2013. This episode scored 0.1 points lower than the second lowest rated, "The Autumn Leaves of Mount Ogura".