The best games set in Japan 🇯🇵 2024

Looking for a really good game set in Japan 🇯🇵? Then we have just the thing for you: The list with the best Japan games 2024.

What are Japan games?

In this list you will find games, expansions, promos, etc. that focus on the country of Japan thematically or playfully.

Examples of games set in Japan:

A good example of a Japan game is Hanabi or King of Tokyo.

List of the best games 2024 set in Japan 🇯🇵

This list was last updated on August 20, 2024. We compared 585 board games for this list and selected the top 30. There's also a print version for this list.
  1. Ohanami

    All details for the board game Ohanami and similar games

    Ohanami is a serene and strategic card drafting game that seamlessly blends simplicity with deep strategic choices. Over three rounds, players cultivate their gardens by selecting cards and building sequences in a quest for the most points.

    More details for Ohanami
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 20 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  2. Hanamikoji

    All details for the board game Hanamikoji and similar games

    Hanamikoji is a strategic card game set in the historical context of Geisha culture in Japan. The game immerses players in the role of patrons who are competing to gain the favor of seven renowned Geishas by collecting items related to their art and performances.

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for Hanamikoji
    • 2 Players
    • 15 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Hanamikoji

    • YouTube Review for the game "Hanamikoji" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
    • YouTube Review for the game "Hanamikoji" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  3. King of Tokyo

    All details for the board game King of Tokyo and similar games

    King of Tokyo is a game where players take on the roles of mutant monsters, robots, and aliens, all competing to become the sole King of Tokyo.

    Nominated for 19 awards and won 7.

    More details for King of Tokyo
    • 2 - 6 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  4. King of Tokyo: Monster Box

    All details for the board game King of Tokyo: Monster Box and similar games
    • 2 - 6 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  5. Tokaido: Deluxe Edition

    All details for the board game Tokaido: Deluxe Edition and similar games
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 45 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  6. Hanabi

    All details for the board game Hanabi and similar games

    Hanabi, named after the Japanese word for "fireworks," invites players to collaboratively create the perfect fireworks display. In this cooperative game, the goal is to arrange cards on the table in the correct order to achieve a stunning pyrotechnic spectacle. However, there's a catch - players must hold their cards so that they are visible only to their teammates. To succeed, you'll need to provide hints to your fellow players about the numbers and colors of their cards, working together to avoid mistakes and complete the fireworks show before running out of cards.

    Nominated for 7 awards and won 3.

    ⭐️ Spiel des Jahres 2013

    More details for Hanabi
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 25 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  7. Takenoko

    All details for the board game Takenoko and similar games

    Takenoko is a charming board game set in the Japanese Imperial court, revolving around the care of a giant panda gifted by the Chinese Emperor. Players, as court members, are tasked with managing a bamboo garden for the panda.

    Nominated for 17 awards and won 7.

    More details for Takenoko
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 45 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Takenoko

    • YouTube Review for the game "Takenoko" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  8. Machi Koro 2

    All details for the board game Machi Koro 2 and similar games
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 45 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  9. Tokaido

    All details for the board game Tokaido and similar games

    Tokaido is a beautifully designed board game where players embark on a journey across the "East sea road", one of Japan's most scenic routes. The essence of the game lies in experiencing the journey itself, with players encountering various events and collecting diverse items along the way.

    Nominated for 5 awards.

    More details for Tokaido
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 45 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Tokaido

    • YouTube Review for the game "Tokaido" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  10. Sekigahara: The Unification of Japan

    All details for the board game Sekigahara: The Unification of Japan and similar games

    Sekigahara: The Unification of Japan is a strategic war game for two players, allowing them to relive the pivotal battle of Sekigahara in 1600, which unified Japan under the Tokugawa shogunate for over 250 years. Players take on the roles of either Ishida Mitsunari, defending the rightful heir, or Tokugawa Ieyasu, the most powerful daimyo, as they gather armies from their allies, all the while questioning their loyalty. With no use of dice, the game emphasizes strategy and loyalty through card mechanics, where cards are essential for motivating armies to fight. Loyalty is a fluctuating resource, represented by hand size, and battles involve deploying hidden units based on loyalty, with the potential for defections. The game aims to provide a historically accurate experience within a concise and intuitive set of rules, focusing on strategic deployment and the significance of loyalty without relying on luck to determine outcomes.

    Nominated for 4 awards and won 2.

    More details for Sekigahara: The Unification of Japan
    • 2 Players
    • 180 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  11. Age of War

    All details for the board game Age of War and similar games

    Age of War is a fast-paced dice game centered on conquest and strategy, set in feudal Japan. The game is designed for quick play and involves capturing castles, managing resources, and strategic planning.

    More details for Age of War
    • 2 - 6 Players
    • 15 - 30 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  12. Samurai

    All details for the board game Samurai and similar games

    Samurai is a strategic board game set in medieval Japan. It immerses players in a contest of influence and power among three key factions of the era: samurai, peasants, and priests.

    Nominated for 2 awards.

    More details for Samurai
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 30 - 60 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Samurai

    • YouTube Review for the game "Samurai" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  13. Seikatsu

    All details for the board game Seikatsu and similar games

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for Seikatsu
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 15 - 30 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  14. Metro X

    All details for the board game Metro X and similar games
    • 1 - 6 Players
    • 20 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  15. Machi Koro

    All details for the board game Machi Koro and similar games

    Machi Koro is a light and fast-paced city-building board game, where players take on the role of mayor of a small town, striving to develop it into a thriving city.

    Nominated for 6 awards and won 1.

    ⭐️ Nominated for Spiel des Jahres 2015

    More details for Machi Koro
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Machi Koro

    • YouTube Review for the game "Machi Koro" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  16. Tokaido Duo

    All details for the board game Tokaido Duo and similar games

    Nominated for 2 awards.

    More details for Tokaido Duo
    • 2 Players
    • 20 - 30 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  17. Okiya

    All details for the board game Okiya and similar games

    Nominated for 2 awards and won 1.

    More details for Okiya
    • 2 Players
    • 10 Minutes
    • 7+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  18. The White Castle

    All details for the board game The White Castle and similar games

    Nominated for 6 awards and won 1.

    More details for The White Castle
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 80 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
  19. Kanagawa

    All details for the board game Kanagawa and similar games

    Kanagawa is a beautifully crafted board game set in 1840 in the bay of Tokyo. In this game, players become disciples of the famed Master Hokusai, striving to learn and excel in the art of painting. As disciples, players must expand their studios, choose their subjects carefully, and pay keen attention to the seasons to create the most harmonious and compelling print, aspiring to produce their lifetime's masterpiece.

    Nominated for 5 awards and won 2.

    More details for Kanagawa
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 45 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Kanagawa

    • YouTube Review for the game "Kanagawa" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
    • YouTube Review for the game "Kanagawa" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  20. Sushizock im Gockelwok

    All details for the board game Sushizock im Gockelwok and similar games
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 20 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  21. Miyabi

    All details for the board game Miyabi and similar games

    Nominated for 2 awards and won 1.

    More details for Miyabi
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 45 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Miyabi

    • YouTube Review for the game "Miyabi" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  22. Tsuro of the Seas

    All details for the board game Tsuro of the Seas and similar games

    Tsuro of the Seas is an engaging and thematic variation of the classic board game Tsuro. In this version, players navigate their ships through treacherous waters, trying to stay on the board as long as possible. The game introduces new elements of strategy and unpredictability with the addition of daikaiju tiles, representing sea monsters and other mythical creatures.

    More details for Tsuro of the Seas
    • 2 - 8 Players
    • 20 - 40 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  23. Loco Motive

    All details for the board game Loco Motive and similar games

    Nominated for 2 awards.

    ⭐️ Nominated for Kinderspiel des Jahres 2010

    More details for Loco Motive
    • 4 - 8 Players
    • 15 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  24. Gorinto

    All details for the board game Gorinto and similar games

    Nominated for 1 award.

    More details for Gorinto
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 30 - 60 Minutes
    • 13+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  25. Hanabi Deluxe II

    All details for the board game Hanabi Deluxe II and similar games
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 25 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  26. Namiji

    All details for the board game Namiji and similar games
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 30 - 45 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  27. Manoeuvre: Distant Lands

    All details for the board game Manoeuvre: Distant Lands and similar games
    • 2 Players
    • 60 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  28. Honshū

    All details for the board game Honshū and similar games

    Honshū is a strategic map-building card game set in feudal Japan, where players take on the roles of lords and ladies of noble houses. The game combines card drafting and trick-taking with an intriguing tile-placement mechanism.

    Nominated for 4 awards.

    More details for Honshū
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Honshū

    • YouTube Review for the game "Honshū" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  29. Hibachi

    All details for the board game Hibachi and similar games
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 45 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  30. Trains

    All details for the board game Trains and similar games

    Trains is a strategic deck-building board game that combines railway development with elements of capitalist competition. Set against the backdrop of the industrial revolution and the subsequent railway boom, players take on the roles of capitalists managing private railway companies in Japan. The game offers a fascinating blend of historical railway development and modern strategic gameplay.

    Nominated for 4 awards and won 2.

    More details for Trains
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 45 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Trains

    • YouTube Review for the game "Trains" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English

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