Glico: the janken stair race
Glico (グリコ) is a game Japanese children play on staircases. Players throw janken, and the winner climbs as many steps as their hand's word has syllables. The first to reach the top wins.
How to play Glico
- Both players start at the bottom of a staircase.
- Throw janken. The loser stays where they are; a tie is thrown again.
- Win with rock and climb 3 steps calling "Gu-ri-ko!".
- Win with scissors and climb 6 steps calling "Chi-yo-ko-re-i-to!" (chocolate).
- Win with paper and climb 6 steps calling "Pa-i-na-tsu-pu-ru!" (pineapple).
- The first player to reach the top wins.
Why it's called Glico
Rock's word comes from Glico, a Japanese sweets company, and the other two are sweets too. The game is played wherever there are steps: school stairs, shrine steps and park slopes.
Glico strategy
Rock pays half as much as the other hands, so a win with it is worth less. That changes the best mix: playing each hand a third of the time is no longer ideal, and a player who knows that throws paper and scissors more often. Our bots know it too.
Playing Glico on Janken
On Janken the staircase has 21 steps and you can see both climbers on it. Glico games are casual, so ratings don't change; play a bot or find an opponent online.
Questions
How many steps do you climb in Glico?
Three for a win with rock (Gu-ri-ko), six for a win with scissors (Chi-yo-ko-re-i-to) or paper (Pa-i-na-tsu-pu-ru).
How many steps to the top?
Any number you agree on. On Janken the top is step 21.
Can I play Glico without stairs?
Yes: play it online on Janken, where the stairs are drawn for you.