Free Republic

The Mainichi reports that another thirteenth-century shipwreck has been discovered off Takashima Island, after two others had previously been identified in 2011 and 2015. It is believed that all three vessels went down during the 1281 Battle of Koan, when the Mongol-led Chinese Yuan Dynasty attempted to invade Japan. The recently investigated ship originally measured around 100 feet long and was equipped with living quarters, likely serving as the mother ship of the fleet. Among the items recovered by archaeologists were five dice and 29 small cards used to play koppai, a game that originated in China. "The koppai cards,...

These mahjong tiles are part of The Mahjong Line's "refreshed" lineup, meant to mirror one of the three founders' more "fun" style and personality, according to an earlier version of the brand's "about us" page. The website features five different yet equally eccentric designs, in various neon colours. And it comes with the whopping price tag US$325 (S$428) to US$425. Despite the "minimal" description that they came up with, the hand-painted designs are anything but. Mahjong, which originates from China, is one of the oldest and most beloved games for Chinese all over the world. And as they say, if...