What type of playing cards did Nintendo originally make under the "Nintendo Koppai" name in the late 1800's - early 1900's?

gonnzo

Hanafuda cards. "In 1889, Fusajiro Yamauchi founded Nintendo Koppai for the purposes of producing and selling hand-crafted Hanafuda cards painted on mulberry tree bark. Though it took a while to catch on, soon the Yakuza began using Hanafuda cards in their gambling parlors, and card games became popular in Japan again... Hanafuda are playing cards of Japanese origin (karuta cards), used to play a number of games. The name literally translates as 'flower cards'." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanafuda Apr 14 09, 5:37 PM