Mölkky: the Finnish throwing game that brings all ages together, and how Japan used it after the Noto earthquake

Mölkky is a Finnish outdoor throwing game. The Japan Mölkky Association describes it as developed in 1996 from the traditional Karelian game kyykkä, with rules simple enough for all ages. Its official maker says the name has no actual meaning and was probably inspired by pölkky, a block of wood. The game now has a world championship; the International Mölkky Organisation (IMO) records 672 teams from 15 nations at the 2024 championships in Hakodate, Japan.

How to play (IMO rules)

Fallen skittles are stood up where they land, so the field spreads out as the game goes on and aim matters more than strength. Check the full IMO rules for tournament details.

Mölkky in Noto after the 2024 earthquake

After the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake in Ishikawa, Japan, Japanese sources document Mölkky being used to bring the area's people together:

• Earthquake-recovery Nanao Open (November 2024). Organized by the cities of Kanazawa and Nanao with a local sports commission, it aimed to visit the disaster area and connect with affected residents. Organizers chose Mölkky because its simple rules let people of every age join in; more than 200 teams applied.
• Ongoing tournaments in Nanao. A local newspaper reported in 2026 that Nanao has held Mölkky tournaments since 2024, and that with fewer places for children to play after the earthquake and heavy rains, the tournaments help keep children active.
• Community salons. A 2026 TV report describes a salon in Noto Town where people from temporary housing and the wider community meet for exercises, crafts and Mölkky, after the earthquake reduced chances to socialize.

We found no official record of Mölkky being played in emergency shelters in the first days after a disaster; its documented role is in recovery-phase community life. We also found no English-language reports of these events; the sources are Japanese.

Why games matter after a disaster

The Red Cross Red Crescent's psychosocial centre notes that activities people do together, including playing games, are important ways of coping with a crisis, and that recreational activities help promote psychosocial well-being. A game like Mölkky, which needs little equipment and no special fitness, is one easy way to create those moments (our view). For more, see Play and sport after disasters.

Our suggestions

• Bring a set to camp or community events; mixed-age teams work well.
• Keep a clear throwing lane and have waiting players stand behind the thrower. The skittles and the throwing pin are wooden.
• In a preparedness event, use a game as the social break between drills.