How to Play Shiritori Solitaire: A Free Browser Game With Three Difficulties (Pine, Bamboo, Plum), 'Leaves of Words Karuta'

Published 2026/10/25 / by MASHIMARO produce

Disclosure: the game(s) in this article were developed by the operator of this site, Free Game Com (indie developer Masimaro). They are free browser games.

"I like shiritori." "I like solitaire too." For anyone like that, here is Shiritori Solitaire: Leaves of Words Karuta, a free browser game that combines the two. (Shiritori is a Japanese word-chain game; each word must start with the last syllable of the previous one.)

▶ Play Shiritori Solitaire free

Key points

A card puzzle where you connect cards by shiritori and arrange them solitaire-style
Four kinds of cards: animals, fish, vegetables and food
Three difficulties (pine, bamboo, plum) and 'inspiration cards' such as hints
A 104-card encyclopedia, missions and honors (achievements)

What kind of game is it?

A solitaire-style card game where you arrange word cards along shiritori connections. The cards come in four categories, "animals, fish, vegetables and food", each with two word spellings (A and B), and one of them appears in each game.

Three difficulties: pine, bamboo and plum

Pine (easy): 4 columns, all face up, 3 cards in hand, 3 hints, unlimited undo. Score multiplier x1.0.
Bamboo (normal): 5 columns, some face down, 2 cards in hand, 2 hints, 6 undos. Multiplier x1.7.
Plum (hard): 6 columns with many face down, 1 card in hand, no hints, 2 undos. Multiplier x2.8.

You can change the difficulty at any time. We recommend getting used to the rules on "pine" first.

Inspiration cards and deep-play elements

Inspiration cards: tell you one playable move, undo a single move, let you place a card once while ignoring shiritori, or reshuffle the deck and flipped cards, among others. If you run short, you can craft them at the "workshop".
Encyclopedia: cards you send to the goal are registered (104 in all).
Missions: such as "clear once", "clear within 6 minutes" and "clear without returning the deck".
Honors: achievements such as "send 300 cards to the goal in total" and "collect all 104 cards in the encyclopedia".

Who it's for

People who like shiritori and word play.
People who like solitaire and want to try unusual rules.
People who want to improve gradually from an easy difficulty.

Note: because the game is built on Japanese words, you'll need to read Japanese to play it.

Note: how to play and specs are based on the in-game text as of October 29, 2026, and may change with updates. Clearing your browser data may erase your records.

FAQ

Q. What is Shiritori Solitaire?

A. A solitaire-style game where you use shiritori connections to arrange cards on the field and the goal.

Q. How many difficulties are there?

A. Three: "pine (easy)", "bamboo (normal)" and "plum (hard)". You can change it at any time.

Q. How many cards are in the encyclopedia?

A. 104. Cards you send to the goal are recorded in the encyclopedia.

Q. Are there hints?

A. With "inspiration cards" you can be shown a playable move. There are also cards that undo a single move and cards that reshuffle the deck.