Objective of the Game

In the game of Hanamikoji, the aim is to win 4 Geisha or 11 (or more) Charm Points (the rank on the Geisha card). You and your opponent take turns to perform actions to get different kinds of Item Cards. For each Geisha, if you have more Item Cards of the corresponding type than your opponent, then you win the Geisha's favor. The game will continue until either player has reached the winning goal in the Scoring Phase.

Setup

Place 7 Geisha Cards in a row, in increasing rank from left to right, between players. Stack the Item cards face down into a pile and place them aside. Each player takes 4 Action Cards of the same suit and places them face up in front of themself. The younger player is the starting player.

Gameplay

The game is played for one or several rounds. Each round consists of 3 phases in the given order: Phase 1: Deal Phase 2: Action Phase 3: Scoring If any player reaches the winning goal in the Scoring phase, the game ends immediately. If neither player reaches the winning goal, the game proceeds to the next round. The game will continue until either player wins. Phase 1: Deal The starting player shuffles all 21 Item Cards into a face-down pile, and randomly removes 1 card from the game and places it face down away from the game. This card will not be used this round and neither player is able to check it. Deal each player 6 Item Cards as a hand. Hand information is hidden. Stack the remaining Item Cards face down as the "Item deck" and put them next to the row of Geisha Cards. Phase 2: Action Beginning with the starting player, players alternate turns until both players have taken 4 turns. In your turn you must draw a card from the Item deck, and then perform an action. There is no fixed action order. When you perform an action, you choose 1 of your face up Action Cards and perform the corresponding action. After resolving the action, flip the action card face down. You can't choose face down actions. (Each action can only be performed once per turn) There are 4 actions in Hanamikoji: 1. Secret Choose 1 card from your hand and place it face down under the Secret card. This card will be revealed in the Scoring phase and be scored. You can check this card at any time. 2. Trade-Off Choose 2 cards from your hand, and place them face down under the trade-off card. These cards will not be scored in this round. You can check these cards at any time. 3. Gift Choose 3 cards from your hand, and place them face up in front of yourself. Your opponent chooses 1 card from them and places this card on their side next to the corresponding Geisha. Then place the 2 remaining cards on your side next to the corresponsing Geishas. These cards will be scored. 4. Compete Choose 4 cards from you hand, and place them face up in front of yourself. You divide them into two sets, each containing 2 cards. Your opponent chooses 1 set, and places these 2 cards on their side next to the corresponding Geishas. Then place the 2 remaining cards on your side next to the corresponding Geishas. These cards will be scored. Phase 3: Scoring After both players have performed 4 actions, the game proceeds to Phase 3. Both players reveal the card under their Secret cards and place this card on their side next to the corresponding Geisha. Then compare the number of Item Cards on both sides of each Geisha: ● One side is more than the other: The side with more Item Cards wins this Geisha. Orient the Geisha towards the winning player. ● Two sides draw or there are no cards: Do not move the geisha. After scoring, both players calculate the number of Geisha they win and the sum of their Charm Points. If any player reaches the winning goal, the game ends immediately. If neither player reaches the winning goal: ● Pick up all the Item Cards including the card that was discarded in the Deal Phase and stack them face down into a pile and place them aside. ● Geishas remain in their current orientation. ● Both players flip their Action Cards face up. ● The second player becomes the starting player. ● Begin the next round. End of the Game If any player wins 4 Geisha or 11 (or more) Charm Points, the game ends immediately. If only one player reaches the winning goal, they are the winner. If one player wins 4 Geisha and the other wins 11 (or more) Charm Points, the player with more Charm Points is the winner.

Rules Source: UltraBoardGames