Hanafuda

More than just pretty pictures

Hanafuda is actually the name of the cards themselves, which you can use to play various games. The variant that almost everyone plays is called Koi-Koi . You play with 48 cards that represent the twelve months of the year. Each month has its own flower or plant.

Funnily enough, we Dutch even had a hand in this. Our sailors brought Western maps to Japan, and the Japanese then gave them their own unique twist. Rumor has it that the Japanese mafia (Yakuza) are even fond of them, but don’t let that deter you.

Finding flowers and building sets

The game is essentially about matching pictures. You try to match cards from your hand with cards on the table that have the same flower type. If you see a match, you can take it. It sounds simple, but the trick is in which cards you take.

You’re trying to collect specific sets, the so-called “yaku.” Initially, you’ll probably grab everything you can get your hands on, but you’ll soon learn that some combinations are much more valuable. For example, cards with ribbons or special animals (and yes, a bridge, oddly enough, counts as an animal here) are often more valuable than simple flower cards.

The big gambling moment

The name of the game, Koi-Koi , actually means “Bring it on!” That’s exactly what you shout when you’ve completed a set but aren’t ready to stop. You take a gamble: you keep playing to increase your score.

This creates the most tension at the table. If you keep playing, you can score big. But if your opponent also makes a set in the meantime, you lose all your points from that round. So you have to constantly keep an eye on your opponent: what are the chances of them beating me?

Our own experience

We’re not going to beat around the bush: the first time you play this, you’ll probably feel a bit dizzy. The scoring feels complicated, and you’ll be mostly focused on figuring out which flower corresponds to which month. That’s perfectly normal.

But give it time. After a few games, you’ll start to see the patterns. You’ll notice you’re deliberately stealing certain cards from under your opponent’s nose, and it suddenly becomes a very tactical battle. It takes some time to learn the rules, but once you do, you’ll have a beautiful and fast-paced game that’s perfect for two players.