Optional: Start by dividing the class in two teams: window team (window side) and door team (door side)
Show a map of Japan and tell them the goal: to enumerate prefectures alternately without repeating a prefecture. The last team standing is the winner.
Activity: You'll need a whiteboard, marker, eraser, and worksheet for each team.
Divide the class in your desired number of groups or group members. I did 6 members each group. Give the materials.
The activity has three levels: first is about the prefectures, second is about Japan New Year's traditions, third is just random one.
Let each team choose a member to write the answers/memo on the worksheet. One worksheet each team only. Encourage them to have different students writing on the whiteboard each round.
Level 1: Teams are going to choose one prefecture, make a sentence about why they want to go there. The goal is to not have a similar team writing about that prefecture. For example, if team 1 wrote about Tokyo as well as team 3, regardless of the reasons, they will not get a point. Cross out the finished prefectures each round.
Level 2: Teams in this round, however, must think of the most popular reasons. Whichever reason is popular each round (for example, team 2,3, and 4 wrote "We eat toshikoshi soba on New Year's Eve to have long life", they will get additional points)
Level 3: Same rule with level 2
You may customize the giving of points.