BOARD OF WONDER

Hanamikoji was set in Hanamikoji, a famed geisha street in Kyoto. The geishas are masters of entertainment that greatly respected and adored.

Players role are the customer that try to earn the favor of the geishas. The favor itself can be achieved by giving the geishas more of each their favourite items than opponent.

Hanamikoji is a beautifully crafted two-player card game that immerses players in the enchanting world of geisha.

The art is fantastic and the game’s design is elegant and thematic, capturing the essence of Hanamikoji, as a street famous for its geisha houses. 

Behind its elegant arts, the game is actually a tug of war game that spesifically design for 2 players.

As players engage in a tug-of-war for the favor of the geisha, they must carefully manage their hand of action cards to earn points. The cards representing the items to favors of the geisha they seek to impress.

This delicate balance of strategy and bluffing makes each decision feel impactful, as players can either increase their own chances of winning or hinder their opponent’s achievements.

The implemented mechanic is very simple where players execute 4 unique actions each round alternately.

The game usually fast but can be quite long because the winning condition prerequisite certain quota.

Player win if they can gain the favor 4 or more Geishas or achieve a minimum total of 11 geisha points.

Here’s a simple breakdown of each action you’ll take:
Secret : This action lets you choose a specific card and put it hidden ti be revealed at scoring phase. It’s like a way of quietly influencing your opponents.
Trade Off : This action allows you discard 2 cards from your hand, and those cards won’t be scored 
Gift : With this action, you reveal 3 cards to the opponent then they’ll choose 1 and you take leftover to be scored later. Sometimes timing is very important to delude opponents intention with this action
Competition : In this action, you must carefully choose 4 cards from hand then split it into 2 then let opponent decide which side they want to take for scoring, and you’ll take the leftover

In Hanamikoji there are no safe move, it is all about mitigating the risk of losing. Half of the action will include your opponent decisions.

One of the standout action that i liked is”Competition” that have “I Cut, You Choose” mechanism, If you play it at correct momentum it will delude and maybe manipulate opponent strategy and its intentions. 

Each of this mechanic not only provides a tactical layer to the gameplay but also heightens the feelings of anticipation and competition.

These action always bring tense and the dynamic in the gameplay. The game builds a tense atmosphere that keeps players engaged throughout.

Every decision can swing the game in favor of one player or the other, making it a thrilling experience.

In my opinion, Hanamikoji is a fantastic game that combines beautiful aesthetics with enough strategic depth.

Its brief playtime makes it accessible for both casual gamers and experienced strategists alike.

The blend of the “I Cut, You Choose” mechanism with the tug-of-war dynamics presents a gameplay experience that is both rewarding and intense, deeply rooted in the rich culture of geisha.

It is a must have or at least a must try whether you’re looking for a quick game or a more strategic duel, especially if you’re a competitive couple.

If you preferred artwork of male scholar instead of female Geisha, then you may choose Jixia Academy. It features the same gameplay as Hanamikoji