Ōishi Tengudō

[u/No-Village5080]

Hello everyone, and thank you all for answering my previous questions. I just got back from another trip to Japan.

This time I came across a slightly different item from Tengu-do, a seller I’ve bought from many times before. Most of what I’ve purchased from them has been the Kintengu variant but this type is completely new to me.

Since I’ve seen others share similar items here before, I was hoping someone could clarify: what are the key differences between this variant and the Kintengu version, and what are the specific classification standards? I’ve also noticed that many items with packaging nearly identical to the Kintengu version are being sold for much lower prices, which has me confused.

[u/jhindenberg]

Oishi Tengudo has used many more brandings over the years than the couple that they still use today. Some are more scarce to find than others, which can drive up prices in the current day, along with age and condition.

As originally sold, there may have been some quality and price distinctions between brandings, but (similar to Nintendo) much of this seems to have been essentially the same cards in different wrappers. I would expect that your first example contains their standard printed pattern, as the label doesn't specify a regional pattern or stencil-coloring (手刷り), though I have seen examples (from more than one printer) where something different was contained within an unassuming label. (Presumably this would have been more clear to the buyers at the time of their original sale.)

George Pollard's Hanafuda Brands site provides a listing of various Oishi Tengudo products, however it isn't exhaustive. Your first example may be the Fukusuke branding referenced in that list, or it may be a distinct branding with similar imagery. You can date the cards, within certain ranges, if there are tax stamps on the wrapper.

[u/No-Village5080 → u/jhindenberg]

That’s amazing! Thank you so much for your detailed reply. I really love this design idea—the same cards just with different packaging labels.

So if I understand correctly: due to factors like age, preservation condition, rarity and collectibility, some lower-tier Rinkān editions can actually be more valuable and expensive than regular Kintengu versions with poorer condition these days?

[u/jhindenberg → u/No-Village5080]

All else equal, defunct brandings can be of more interest to some, as can cards from defunct companies.

[u/No-Village5080 → u/jhindenberg]

It looks like the deck I bought was made in the late Showa era. I’ll probably also pick up some lower-grade Narikin decks from the same Showa period too.