Okiya*
* 
Players arrange game pieces to gain the favor of the emperor in Okiya, also known as Niya. They can also block opponents from placing their tokens in the imperial garden to show more control.
To set up the game, shuffle the 16 tiles and arrange them in a 4x4 grid, each displaying one of four vegetation types and one of four poetic symbols. Players take turns removing tiles and placing their tokens according to specific rules, striving to form a line, a 2x2 square, or block their opponent's move to win the game. Matches can vary in format, from a single game to a points-based series.
Nominated for 2 awards and won 1.
- 👥 2 Players
- ⏱️ 10 Minutes
- 🧒 7+ years old
- 🧩 Immediately playable
* We like Okiya so much that we recommend it in the following board game recommendation lists 2026
- Position 22 in Best games released at SPIEL 2012 in Essen
- Position 25 in Best games released at SPIEL 2017 in Essen
- Position 13 in The best combinatorial games 🧮
- Position 18 in The best games from Bruno Cathala 🇫🇷👨
- Position 9 in The Best Games from Alea 🇩🇪🏢
- Position 25 in The best games released in 2012📆
- Position 22 in The best games set in Japan 🇯🇵
- Position 29 in The Best "Parents' Choice Awards🇺🇸" winners and nominees
- Position 7 in The best travel board, card & dice games for on the road 🧳
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