Takeuma (Stilts)
It is traditional that boys play with takeuma. The takeuma are a pair of bamboo poles with footrests attached perpendicularly to each pole. First children practice walking on the stilts while keeping their balance. When they are able to do this well they can then advance to the next stage which consists of doing acrobatic performances, racing, and wrestling with friends.
It is not that difficult to make stilts by hand. Children used to make stilts by themselves with crosspieces fixed at the bamboo joints. Lately, however, wooden and plastic mass-produced stilts have appeared and replaced the hand-made ones.
The Japanese characters which are read as takeuma can also be read as chikuba. The reading of chikuba is used in the expression chikuba-no-tomo, which refers to having played with a friend with stilts as a child. Therefore, chikuba-no-tomo means a childhood friend.