Learn Japanese with Hiragana Times | Read the News: Game Market

TODAY’S WORD | from Hiragana Times “News Review”

過去最多かこさいた

ka · ko · sa · i · ta

Say it in 5 beats: ka-ko-sa-i-ta

過去かこ kako = the past　＋　最多さいた saita = the most (in number)

“a record number” — more than ever before

On October 17 and 18, “Game Market 2026 Autumn,” a festival of analog games, was held at Makuhari Messe. The number of exhibitors? Higher than ever. Japanese news has one compact word for that: 過去最多かこさいた (kako saita), “the most in all the past.”

In English, you simply say a record: “a record 1,425 booths.” You hear 過去最多かこさいた on Japanese news almost every day. Learn it here, and the news starts to sound familiar.

Read & Say | 過去最多かこさいた, sound by sound

過去最多かこさいた is written with 4 kanji, but it has 5 beats. In Japanese, each beat takes the same length of time.

• Four kanji, five beats: 過か = ka, 去こ = ko, 最さい = sai (2 beats), 多た = ta. Count “ka-ko-sa-i-ta” on five fingers.
• さい (sai) is two beats, not one: it sounds close to English “sigh,” but give a and i one full beat each: sa-i.
• Keep it flat and even: English speakers tend to stress one syllable, like “KAH-ko-SAI-ta.” In Japanese, no beat is pushed harder or held longer. Keep every vowel short and clear: ko, not “koh-oo”; ta, not “tuh.”

A kako saita moment in your life?

Read & Listen | kako saita in Hiragana Times

Here is the News Review article “ゲームの原点げんてんは、今いまも生いきている” (The Origin of Games Is Still Alive), where 過去最多かこさいた appears. Read the English first, then try the Japanese.

On October 17 and 18, “Game Market 2026 Autumn,” a festival of analog games, was held at Makuhari Messe.

10月がつ17日にちと18日にち、幕張まくはりメッセで、アナログゲームの祭典さいてん「ゲームマーケット2026秋あき」が開ひらかれました。

Jūgatsu jūshichinichi to jūhachinichi, Makuhari Messe de, anarogu gēmu no saiten “Gēmu Māketto nisen nijūroku aki” ga hirakaremashita.

Exhibitors reached a record 1,425 booths. New board games and card games fill the whole venue.

出展しゅってんは過去最多かこさいたの1,425ブース。ボードゲームやカードゲームの新作しんさくが、会場かいじょういっぱいに並ならびます。

Shutten wa kako saita no sen yonhyaku nijūgo būsu. Bōdo gēmu ya kādo gēmu no shinsaku ga, kaijō ippai ni narabimasu.

In Germany, the home of board games, companies take the lead, but in Japan, individuals who make their own games play the leading role.

本場ほんばドイツでは企業きぎょうが中心ちゅうしんですが、日本にほんでは自作じさくの個人こじんが主役しゅやくです。

Honba Doitsu de wa kigyō ga chūshin desu ga, Nihon de wa jisaku no kojin ga shuyaku desu.

In analog games, there is no hidden program.

アナログゲームに、隠かくされたプログラムはありません。

Anarogu gēmu ni, kakusareta puroguramu wa arimasen.

The rules are the program, and the players can freely arrange them.

ルールがプログラムで、遊あそぶ人ひとが自由じゆうにアレンジできます。

Rūru ga puroguramu de, asobu hito ga jiyū ni arenji dekimasu.

That is why fans treasure the rules, and at the venue everyone takes their turn and laughs together.

だからこそファンはルールを大切たいせつにし、会場かいじょうでは誰だれもが順番じゅんばんを守まもり、笑わらい合あっています。

Dakara koso fan wa rūru o taisetsu ni shi, kaijō de wa dare mo ga junban o mamori, waraiatte imasu.

Turning keeping the rules into a pleasure.

ルールを守まもることを楽たのしみに変かえる。

Rūru o mamoru koto o tanoshimi ni kaeru.

Germany and Japan may share such a trait.

ドイツと日本にほんに、そんな共通点きょうつうてんがあるのかもしれません。

Doitsu to Nihon ni, sonna kyōtsūten ga aru no kamo shiremasen.

Listening point: The audio has English and Japanese. In the Japanese, listen for 過去最多かこさいた (kako saita) and 順番じゅんばん (junban, “turn, order”).

The example sentences, conversation and quiz below were written by We Languages for learning. They are not quotes from the article.

Using kako saita | 過去最多かこさいたの + number

過去最多かこさいた is built like a small puzzle: 過去かこ (kako, the past) + 最多さいた (saita, the largest number). Word for word, “the most in all the past” — in other words, a record. Put it before a number with の (no): 過去最多かこさいたの + number = “a record + number.”

Read the number | 1,425 and the date

1,425 is read せん よんひゃく にじゅうご (sen yonhyaku nijūgo). Note that 400 is always よんひゃく (yonhyaku), never しひゃく (shihyaku). For the date, 10月がつ17日にち is read じゅうがつ じゅうしちにち (jūgatsu jūshichinichi), and 18日にち is じゅうはちにち (jūhachinichi).

Most vs. highest | kako saita and kako saikō

最多さいた is for a count — people, booths, cases. For a level that goes up, like temperature or sales, Japanese uses 過去最高かこさいこう (kako saikō). In English, both often become “a record.”

News Japanese around kako saita

Around 過去最多かこさいた, the article uses phrases you hear on Japanese news all the time:

• 〜が開ひらかれました (… ga hirakaremashita): “… was held.” It is the passive form of 開ひらく (hiraku, to open, to hold). Just like English “was held,” it doesn’t say who organized it — the event is the subject.
• 出展しゅってん (shutten): exhibiting at a fair. A person or company that exhibits is a 出展者しゅってんしゃ (shuttensha, exhibitor).
• AではXが中心ちゅうしんですが、BではYが主役しゅやくです: “In A, X takes the lead, but in B, Y plays the leading role.” 〜ですが (desu ga) shows contrast, like “but.”
• 順番じゅんばんを守まもる (junban o mamoru): word for word “to protect the order” — that is, to take your turn. In the same way, ルールを守まもる (rūru o mamoru) = to keep the rules.

Key Words | Words to talk about kako saita

Japanese	Romaji	English
過去最多かこさいた	kako saita	a record (number)
出展しゅってん	shutten	exhibiting (at a fair)
祭典さいてん	saiten	festival
会場かいじょう	kaijō	venue
新作しんさく	shinsaku	new work, new release
本場ほんば	honba	home (of something)
主役しゅやく	shuyaku	leading role
順番じゅんばんを守まもる	junban o mamoru	to take one’s turn
共通点きょうつうてん	kyōtsūten	something in common

Mini Dialogue | Use kako saita in a conversation

Two friends visit a board game fair. This is casual Japanese between friends.

• 〜なんだって (… nan datte) = “I heard that …” Use it to pass on something you heard.
• 並ならぼう (narabō) = “let’s line up,” the “let’s” form of 並ならぶ (narabu, to line up).
• 次つぎは〜の番ばん (tsugi wa … no ban) = “next is …’s turn.”

Quiz | kako saita check

Q1. How many beats does 過去最多かこさいた have?

a) 5 (ka-ko-sa-i-ta)　b) 4 (ka-ko-sai-ta)　c) 6 (ka-ko-sa-i-ta-a)

Answer

a) 最さい (sai) counts as 2 beats: sa + i.

Q2. How do you read “1,425ブース” (1,425 booths) in Japanese?

a) せん よんひゃく にじゅうご ブース (sen yonhyaku nijūgo būsu)

b) せん しひゃく にじゅうご ブース (sen shihyaku nijūgo būsu)

Answer

a) 400 is always よんひゃく (yonhyaku).

Q3. Which word fits? “The temperature was a record high.”

a) 気温きおんは過去最多かこさいたでした。(Kion wa kako saita deshita.)

b) 気温きおんは過去最高かこさいこうでした。(Kion wa kako saikō deshita.)

Answer

b) Temperature is a level, not a count, so use 過去最高かこさいこう (kako saikō). 過去最多かこさいた is for numbers of people or things.

Q4. What does 順番じゅんばんを守まもる (junban o mamoru) mean?

a) to win a game　b) to take your turn　c) to change the rules

Answer

b) Word for word “to protect the order.” In the article, everyone at the venue takes their turn and laughs together.

Your Voice | Your own kako saita

1. Think of an event (a festival, a fair, a match …) with more people than ever before. Say it in Japanese with 過去最多かこさいた: ［event］は、来場者らいじょうしゃが過去最多かこさいたでした。 (… wa, raijōsha ga kako saita deshita.)
2. Add one sentence about the mood, with 順番じゅんばんを守まもって (junban o mamotte).
3. Read your two sentences aloud, then say them again without looking.

Write your answer in the comments below — a We coach will reply.

Speak Your Language | Make 過去最多 yours

Practice is not the goal. The goal is to make 過去最多 your own word — and say what you really feel, in Japanese.

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