Game Objective

Welcome to the vibrant district of Hanamikoji, where the grace and art of geishas reign supreme! In Hanamikoji, you and your opponent compete to win the favor of the seven geisha masters by collecting the items they value most. Your goal is to be the first to achieve one of the following victory conditions:

• Win the favor of 4 Geishas.
• Accumulate 11 (or more) Charm Points.

Prepare for careful speculation and bold moves, as every decision can surprise your opponent and secure the favor of the geishas!

Setup

Let's set up the table to begin the dispute for the geishas' favors. Follow these simple steps:

1. Place the 7 Geisha Cards in a row, from left to right, between the two players.
2. On each Geisha Card, place a Victory Marker in the center.
3. Shuffle the 21 Item Cards face down and form a deck next to the geisha line.
4. Each player receives 4 Action Markers of the same color and places them face up in front of them.
5. The youngest player will be the starting player.

Ready! The table is set for your journey in Hanamikoji.

Game Turn

A round of Hanamikoji is divided into three exciting phases: Negotiation, Action, and Scoring & Update. The game continues in rounds until a player reaches the victory objective.

Phase 1: Negotiation

This phase sets the stage for the round, distributing cards and defining the starting hands.

1. The starting player takes all 21 Item Cards, shuffles them, and randomly removes 1 card from the game, placing it back in the box without anyone seeing it. This card will not be used this round.
2. Then, deal 6 Item Cards to each player, forming their secret hands.
3. The remaining Item Cards form the "Item Deck" and are placed face down next to the geisha line.

Phase 2: Action

This is the phase where the magic happens! Starting with the starting player, you take turns, performing 4 turns each. On your turn, follow these steps:

1. Draw 1 card from the Item Deck.
2. Choose 1 Action Marker that is face up and perform the corresponding action.
3. After resolving the action, flip the Action Marker face down. You cannot choose markers that are already face down, as each is used only once per round.

There are 4 different actions for you to choose from:

• 1. Secret: Choose 1 card from your hand and place it secretly face down under your Secret Action Marker. This card will be revealed and scored in the scoring phase. You can check this card at any time.
• 2. Exchange: Choose 2 cards from your hand and place them face down under your Exchange Action Marker. These cards will not be scored 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 you. Your opponent chooses one of these cards and moves it to their side on the corresponding Geisha. The remaining 2 cards are placed on your side on the corresponding Geishas and will be scored.
• 4. Competition: Choose 4 cards from your hand and place them face up in front of you. Divide them into two sets, each containing 2 cards. Your opponent chooses one set and places these 2 cards on their side on the corresponding Geishas. The remaining 2 cards are placed on your side on the corresponding Geishas and will be scored.

End of Game and Scoring

Phase 3: Scoring and Update occurs after both players have performed their 4 actions. This is where the geishas' favors are decided!

1. Both players reveal the card under their secret markers and place it next to the corresponding Geisha.
2. For each Geisha, compare the number of Item Cards on both sides:
   • If one side has more Item Cards than the other, that side wins the geisha's favor. Move the Victory Marker to the winning side.
   • If there is a tie or neither side has cards, the Victory Marker remains in place.
3. After all geishas are scored, both players calculate the number of Geishas they have won and the sum of their Charm Points (indicated on the item and geisha cards).

The game ends immediately if any player achieves one of the victory objectives:

• Win 4 Geishas.
• Accumulate 11 (or more) Charm Points.

If only one player achieves the objective, they are the winner. If one player wins 4 Geishas and the other wins 11 (or more) Charm Points, the Charm Points prevail.

If neither player achieves the objective, the round ends and the game advances to the Update for the next round:

• Take all Item Cards from the table and the box, shuffle them, and form a new deck.
• The Victory Markers remain where they are; they are not moved back to the center of the Geisha cards.
• Both players flip their Action Markers face up.
• The second player from the previous round becomes the new starting player.

And so, a new round is ready to begin!

Tips for Winning

To excel in Hanamikoji and win the geishas' favor, consider these strategic tips:

1. Manage your actions wisely: Each of your 4 Action Markers is unique and can only be used once per round. Think carefully about which action to use at each moment, especially the "Gift" and "Competition" actions, which give your opponent a chance to choose cards.
2. Observe your opponent: The cards your opponent chooses in the "Gift" and "Competition" actions reveal a lot about their intentions. Try to infer which geishas they are pursuing and which items they value most. This can help you decide which cards to hide or which geishas to contest.
3. Don't underestimate "Secret" and "Exchange": Although they don't directly give cards to the geishas, these actions are crucial. "Secret" guarantees points for you, while "Exchange" allows you to get rid of cards that are not useful for your strategies or to deny points to your opponent, without them knowing which cards you discarded. Use them to protect your plans or to confuse your opponent.