Hagoita are wooden paddles used to play a badminton-like game called hanetsuki (羽根突). The battledores are brightly decorated often with characters from Kabuki dramas. Hagoita appear to date from the Edo Period (1603-1868) of Japanese history.
The game of hanetsuki is traditionally played by young girls at New Year.
Hagoita can be bought to use as a decoration and make for colorful souvenirs of a holiday in Japan.
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