Claim influence across feudal Japan — balance wins, greed loses
Vibe's take
Elegant, cerebral, balanced, timeless
Who it's for
Euro gamers who appreciate classic, clean design. Best at 3 players where the board tension peaks.
Not for you if…
Not for players who want strong theme or direct confrontation. The abstraction can feel dry.
Reiner Knizia's tile-placement classic set in feudal Japan. Compete to influence three types of figures — Buddhas, rice paddies, and high helmets — by placing tiles strategically on an island map. Winning requires balanced majorities across all three.
Players
Duration
30–60 min
Ages 10+
Complexity
2.4 / 5 — LightBGG Rating
7.2/10
Rank #282
17k ratings
Published
1998
Designed by
Reiner Knizia
Published by
Galakta, Descartes Editeur, Fantasy Flight Games, Skandinavisk Spil Kompagni, 999 Games, Korea Boardgames, Hobby Japan, Lighthouse Games, Hans im Glück, ABACUSSPIELE, Astrel Games, Ceilikan Jogos, Smart Ltd, Wargames Club Publishing, Lacerta, Yaofish Games, Rio Grande Games, Lautapelit.fi, Lanlalen, Edge Entertainment
Sounds like your kind of game?
Claim influence across feudal Japan — balance wins, greed loses
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