The Best "Japan Boardgame Prize🇯🇵" winners and nominees 2023

Looking for a good game that won or was nominated for the Japan Boardgame Prize? Then we have just the thing for you: A list with the best "Japan Boardgame Prize" winners and games that were on the nomination list.

What is the Japan Boardgame Prize?

The "Japan Boardgame Prize" is an award for dice, card & board games. The prize originates from 🇯🇵Japan, was established in 2002 and is chosen by a jury.

The Japan Board Game Prize is sponsored by U-more - an organization whose goal is to spread the culture of board games in Japan.

In 2008, U-More combined the previous four categories and did not nominate any games. Voters selected up to five favorites from a list of 154 titles sold in Japan from October 2007 to September 2008. For each voter, they added 5 points to the first favorite, 4 points to the second ... 1 point to the fifth. There are a total of 317 voters from 32 prefectures in cooperation with many boardgame circles and stores.

Japan Boardgame Prize Categories

The Japan Boardgame Prize award is given every year in the following categories:

  • The Best Foreign Game for Beginners - "its rule is relatively simple, and the playing time is short, so anyone can have fun immediately, regardless of their experience."
  • The best advanced game - "more advanced and can be played by those who are used to playing games".
  • The best Japanese game - "published in Japanese packaging".
  • The best children's game - "its illustration and components are designed for children, easy to play for children under nine, and quite entertaining for parents as well".

For more info, visit the official Japan Boardgame Prize homepage or the Wikipedia post of Japan Boardgame Prize.

Other game awards from around the world.

There are many more game awards from around the world, you can find a list at the bottom of this page.

List of best Japan Boardgame Prize winners & nominees 2023:

This list was last updated on June 1, 2023. We compared 330 board games for this list and selected the top 30. There's also a print version for this list.
  1. Just One

    All details for the board game Just One and similar games

    Nominated for 16 awards and won 4.

    ⭐️ Spiel des Jahres 2019

    More details for Just One
    • 3 - 7 Players
    • 20 - 60 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
    👍 Good price!19€ atAmazon.de

    Video reviews for Just One

    • YouTube Review for the game "Just One" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  2. MicroMacro: Crime City

    All details for the board game MicroMacro: Crime City and similar games

    Nominated for 16 awards and won 8.

    ⭐️ Spiel des Jahres 2021

    More details for MicroMacro: Crime City
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 15 - 45 Minutes
    • 12+ years old
    • Immediately playable
    👍 Good price!18€ atAmazon.de
  3. Codenames

    All details for the board game Codenames and similar games

    Nominated for 27 awards and won 15.

    ⭐️ Spiel des Jahres 2016

    More details for Codenames
    • 2 - 8 Players
    • 15 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Immediately playable
    👍 Good price!18€ atAmazon.de
  4. SCOUT

    All details for the board game SCOUT and similar games

    Nominated for 2 awards.

    ⭐️ Nominated for Spiel des Jahres 2022

    More details for SCOUT
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 15 Minutes
    • 9+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  5. Cascadia

    All details for the board game Cascadia and similar games

    Nominated for 15 awards and won 6.

    ⭐️ Spiel des Jahres 2022

    More details for Cascadia
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 30 - 45 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
    👍 Good price!27€ atAmazon.de
  6. So Clover!

    All details for the board game So Clover! and similar games

    Nominated for 5 awards and won 2.

    More details for So Clover!
    • 3 - 6 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Immediately playable
    👍 Good price!18€ atAmazon.de
  7. Kingdomino

    All details for the board game Kingdomino and similar games

    Nominated for 17 awards and won 7.

    ⭐️ Spiel des Jahres 2017

    🔥 Deal: 19% cheaper than the best Geizhals deal, likely for a short time only!

    More details for Kingdomino
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 15 - 25 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
    🔥 Great price!8€ atAmazon.de

    Video reviews for Kingdomino

    • YouTube Review for the game "Kingdomino" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  8. Codenames: Duet

    All details for the board game Codenames: Duet and similar games

    Nominated for 9 awards and won 4.

    More details for Codenames: Duet
    • 2 Players
    • 15 - 30 Minutes
    • 11+ years old
    • Immediately playable
    👍 Good price!18€ atAmazon.de

    Video reviews for Codenames: Duet

    • YouTube Review for the game "Codenames: Duet" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  9. Love Letter

    All details for the board game Love Letter and similar games

    Nominated for 14 awards and won 7.

    More details for Love Letter
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 20 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Immediately playable
    👍 Good price!10€ atAmazon.de

    Video reviews for Love Letter

    • YouTube Review for the game "Love Letter" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  10. The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine

    All details for the board game The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine and similar games

    Nominated for 24 awards and won 12.

    ⭐️ Kennerspiel des Jahres 2020

    More details for The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 20 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  11. Skull

    All details for the board game Skull and similar games

    Nominated for 4 awards and won 1.

    More details for Skull
    • 3 - 6 Players
    • 15 - 45 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Immediately playable

    Video reviews for Skull

    • YouTube Review for the game "Skull" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
    • YouTube Review for the game "Skull" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  12. Dixit

    All details for the board game Dixit and similar games

    Nominated for 21 awards and won 10.

    ⭐️ Spiel des Jahres 2010

    More details for Dixit
    • 3 - 8 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  13. Las Vegas

    All details for the board game Las Vegas and similar games

    Nominated for 7 awards and won 2.

    ⭐️ Nominated for Spiel des Jahres 2012

    More details for Las Vegas
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
    🔥 Great price!130€ atAmazon.de

    Video reviews for Las Vegas

    • YouTube Review for the game "Las Vegas" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  14. Wingspan

    All details for the board game Wingspan and similar games

    Nominated for 25 awards and won 16.

    ⭐️ Kennerspiel des Jahres 2019

    More details for Wingspan
    • 1 - 5 Players
    • 40 - 70 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
    👍 Good price!40€ atAmazon.de

    Video reviews for Wingspan

    • YouTube Review for the game "Wingspan" by Shut Up & Sit Down
      Video is in English
  15. Cartographers

    All details for the board game Cartographers and similar games

    Nominated for 9 awards.

    ⭐️ Nominated for Kennerspiel des Jahres 2020

    More details for Cartographers
    • 1 - 100 Players
    • 30 - 45 Minutes
    • 10+ years old
    • Easy to learn
    👍 Good price!17€ atAmazon.de
  16. Project L

    All details for the board game Project L and similar games

    Nominated for 3 awards and won 1.

    More details for Project L
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 20 - 40 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  17. Pictures

    All details for the board game Pictures and similar games

    Nominated for 6 awards and won 3.

    ⭐️ Spiel des Jahres 2020

    More details for Pictures
    • 3 - 5 Players
    • 20 - 30 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable

    Video reviews for Pictures

    • YouTube Review for the game "Pictures" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  18. Splendor

    All details for the board game Splendor and similar games

    Nominated for 21 awards and won 12.

    ⭐️ Nominated for Spiel des Jahres 2014

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

    Video reviews for Splendor

    • YouTube Review for the game "Splendor" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  19. Ticket to Ride: Europe

    All details for the board game Ticket to Ride: Europe and similar games

    Nominated for 4 awards and won 2.

    More details for Ticket to Ride: Europe
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 30 - 60 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Easy to learn

    Video reviews for Ticket to Ride: Europe

    • YouTube Review for the game "Ticket to Ride: Europe" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  20. 6 nimmt!

    All details for the board game 6 nimmt! and similar games

    Nominated for 5 awards and won 3.

    More details for 6 nimmt!
    • 2 - 10 Players
    • 45 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
    👍 Good price!6€ atAmazon.de
  21. King of Tokyo

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

    Nominated for 19 awards and won 7.

    More details for King of Tokyo
    • 2 - 6 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
    🔥 Great price!27€ atAmazon.de
  22. Dune: Imperium

    All details for the board game Dune: Imperium and similar games

    Nominated for 17 awards and won 5.

    ⭐️ Nominated for Kennerspiel des Jahres 2022

    More details for Dune: Imperium
    • 1 - 4 Players
    • 60 - 120 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Medium difficulty
    🔥 Great price!40€ atAmazon.de
  23. The Resistance

    All details for the board game The Resistance and similar games

    Nominated for 3 awards.

    More details for The Resistance
    • 5 - 10 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 13+ years old
    • Easy to learn
  24. Ticket to Ride

    All details for the board game Ticket to Ride and similar games

    Nominated for 17 awards and won 11.

    ⭐️ Spiel des Jahres 2004

    More details for Ticket to Ride
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 30 - 60 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Easy to learn
    👍 Good price!36€ atAmazon.de

    Video reviews for Ticket to Ride

    • YouTube Review for the game "Ticket to Ride" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  25. Karuba

    All details for the board game Karuba and similar games

    Nominated for 4 awards and won 1.

    ⭐️ Nominated for Spiel des Jahres 2016

    More details for Karuba
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 30 - 40 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  26. Coloretto

    All details for the board game Coloretto and similar games

    Nominated for 6 awards and won 3.

    More details for Coloretto
    • 2 - 5 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  27. Incan Gold

    All details for the board game Incan Gold and similar games

    Nominated for 8 awards and won 3.

    ⭐️ Nominated for Kinderspiel des Jahres 2005

    More details for Incan Gold
    • 3 - 8 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 8+ years old
    • Immediately playable
  28. Canvas

    All details for the board game Canvas and similar games

    Nominated for 10 awards and won 1.

    More details for Canvas
    • 1 - 5 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 14+ years old
    • Easy to learn
    👍 Good price!30€ atAmazon.de
  29. ICECOOL

    All details for the board game ICECOOL and similar games

    Nominated for 14 awards and won 6.

    ⭐️ Kinderspiel des Jahres 2017

    More details for ICECOOL
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 30 Minutes
    • 6+ years old
    • Immediately playable

    Video reviews for ICECOOL

    • YouTube Review for the game "ICECOOL" by BoardGameGeek
      Video is in English
  30. Animal Upon Animal

    All details for the board game Animal Upon Animal and similar games

    Nominated for 5 awards and won 1.

    ⭐️ Nominated for Kinderspiel des Jahres 2005

    More details for Animal Upon Animal
    • 2 - 4 Players
    • 15 Minutes
    • 4+ years old
    • Immediately playable

Didn't find the game you were looking for?

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