How to Play Tokaido: Crossroads

Objective of the Game

In Tokaido: Crossroads, players are Travelers journeying along the Tokaido road. Each station (except Inns) now offers new choices, and new Travelers have joined the trip. The game is played according to the Tokaido rules, with the expansion adding more options and strategic depth to the journey.

Preparation (Setup)

1. Set up the Tokaido game following the usual rules.
2. Place the expansion board just above the Tokaido board.
3. On this expansion board, at the corresponding locations, make face-down stacks with:
   • The Legendary Object cards
   • The Bathouse cards
   • The Calligraphy cards
   • The Amulet cards
   • The Cherry Tree cards
4. Place the Fortune die on the expansion board.
5. Add the new Travelers to the old ones. As usual, each player receives two Travelers and selects one to use for the game.

Variations

Rare and precious...

• Games with 2 and 3 players: At the start of the game, only use 4 of each type of Crossroads expansion card (Bathouse, Legendary Object, Cherry Tree, Amulet, Calligraphy) at random.
• Games with 4 and 5 players: At the start of the game, use 5 of each type of Crossroads expansion card (Bathouse, Legendary Object, Cherry Tree, Amulet, Calligraphy) at random.

You can look at the Amulet and Calligraphy cards in play before starting the game. Put the unused cards back in the box.

Good luck

At the start of the game, each player (in the starting order) can give the bank a coin in order to receive an Amulet card at random, with which they will start the game.

Flow of the Game

The game is played according to the Tokaido rules. The expansion introduces new choices at various spaces on the board.

Actions and How to Play

When a Traveler stops at certain spaces, they now have new choices in addition to the basic game rules:

Cherry Trees

When a Traveler stops at a Panorama (Sea, Mountain, or Rice Paddy) space, he must choose between:

• Taking a Panorama card of the corresponding type (basic game rules).
• Taking a Cherry Tree card (if the card is available).

Cherry Tree cards give 2 points and 1 coin. There is no limit to the number of Cherry Trees a player can accumulate. Unlike Panoramas, Cherry Trees are not made up of sections to be collected, and as a result there are no Accomplishment cards corresponding to the Cherry Trees.

Bathouses

When a Traveler stops at a Hot Springs space, he must choose between:

• Drawing a Hot Springs card (basic game rules).
• Paying 1 coin for a Bathouse card.

Bathouse cards give 4 points. Bathouses are considered to be Hot Springs for the awarding of the ‘Bather’ accomplishment.

Farms

When a Traveler stops at a Farm space, he must choose between:

• Taking 3 coins from the bank and adding them to his reserve (basic game rules).
• Trying to add to his reserve at the Gaming Room.

The Gaming Room

The player gambles 2 coins from his reserve and throws the Fortune die.

Results:

• X: the player loses the money bet
• x1: the player recovers the money bet
• x2: the player doubles the money bet
• x3: the player triples the money bet
• x4: the player quadruples the money bet

Coins lost go to the bank; coins gained come from the bank.

Temples

When a Traveler stops at a Temple space, he must choose between:

• Giving 1, 2, or 3 coins to the Temple (basic game rules).
• Paying a coin to the bank to take one of the available Amulet cards.

Amulet cards

Amulet cards confer a single-use effect. The player chooses from among those available, and keeps them secret until he decides to use them. Used cards are returned to their stack on the Crossroads board, and can be drawn again later in the game. A single Traveler can have several Amulet cards at any one time. When a player buys an Amulet, he can use it on his next move, but never on the same turn as when it is acquired.

• Vitality: This Amulet lets the player play again right away when his Traveler’s movement takes him to the lead position on the journey. Cannot be used when the Traveler arrives at an Inn.
• Fortune: This Amulet lets the player roll the Fortune die before moving, and perhaps win coins depending on the result (according to the table of results of the card where X=0 coin and x4=4 coins). The player gambles 2 coins from his reserve and throws the Fortune die. The player loses the money bet.
• Health: This Amulet lets a Traveler select both options for the space he lands on (in the order of his choice). Cannot be used when the Traveler arrives at an Inn.
• Friendship: This Amulet lets a Traveler stop on a single space that is occupied by another Traveler as if it was a double space. He places his Traveler piece next to the space, as he would if it were a double space. The single space MUST be occupied by another Traveler for this Amulet to be usable. The Traveler using this Amulet leaves first.
• Hospitality: This Amulet lets a Traveler take his Meal card for free when stopping at an Inn.
• Devotion: This Amulet lets the Traveler give the Temple the coins spent on acquiring a purchasable card (Souvenir, Meal, Legendary Object, Bathouse, Calligraphy, Amulet). As with a normal donation, the player immediately earns 1 point per coin placed and the coins will be counted at the end of the game in the Temple donation points.

Shop

When a Traveler stops at a Shop space, he must choose between:

• Buying Souvenirs (basic game rules).
• Acquiring a Legendary Object.

Legendary Object cards

The player can buy one and only one Legendary Object of his choice (if the card is available) for the cost marked on the card (1, 2, or 3 coins). The Legendary Objects are taken into account when awarding the ‘Collector’ accomplishment.

• Shodo and Emaki: When acquired, these Legendary Objects give 1 point for each other Souvenir / Legendary Object in their owner’s collection and 1 additional point for each Souvenir acquired thereafter.
• Buppatsu and Ema: These Legendary Objects count as a new family of Souvenirs. They are therefore added to the families of Souvenirs in their owner’s collection. Having one object from each of the 5 families thus gives 1+3+5+7+9 = 25 points.
• Murasame & Masamune: These Legendary Objects give 8 points. The same Traveler can acquire both types of a single Legendary Object.

Encounters

When a Traveler stops at an Encounter space, he must choose between:

• Drawing an Encounter card (basic game rules).
• Paying 1 coin to the bank to acquire one of the available Calligraphy cards of his choice.

The Calligraphy cards are counted as Encounters for the awarding of the ‘Chatterbox’ accomplishment. A Traveler can have several Calligraphy cards at any one time.

Calligraphy cards

• Foresight: This Calligraphy card scores 2 points per coin remaining at the end of the game.
• Contemplation: This Calligraphy card scores 3 points per complete Panorama and 1 point per Cherry Tree.
• Nostalgia: This Calligraphy card scores 2 points per Legendary Object and 1 point per Souvenir.
• Patience: This Calligraphy card scores 6 points if the Traveler is last to arrive at the last Inn, 4 points if the Traveler is second-last, 2 points in all other cases.
• Perfection: This Calligraphy card scores 2 points per Accomplishment and 1 point per Calligraphy card. The Perfection Calligraphy card is worth 1 point also.
• Fasting: This Calligraphy card scores 3 points per uneaten Meal. In a game, a Traveler eats up to 4 Meals.

New Travelers

• Jirocho the yakuza: When he arrives at one of the three intermediate Inns, before the Meal, Jirocho can try his luck in the Gaming Room. He must then bet 1 coin and roll the Fortune die. Depending on the result, he may lose his coin, get it back, or get it back and win 1, 2, or 3 additional coins (according to the table of results for the Gaming Room on page 4).
• Daigoro the kid: Daigoro draws a Souvenir card when he arrives at each of the three intermediate Inns, before the Meal.
• Nampo the gourmet: Nampo scores additional points, at each Inn, depending on the value of the Meal he eats:
  • One Meal worth 1 coin gives 1 additional point.
  • One Meal worth 2 coins gives 2 additional points.
  • One Meal worth 3 coins gives 3 additional points.
• Gotozaemon the souvenir seller: Gotozaemon gains a coin at each stop on a Panorama space. The Souvenir seller gains an additional coin only when he stops on a Panorama space, not when he encounters a Guide (Annaibito). If he decides to take a Cherry Tree, he gains 2 points and 2 coins.
• Miyataka the superstitious woman: Miyataka can carry out both actions when stopping at a Temple space: give coins to the Temple AND buy an Amulet.
• Kita the old woman: Kita can carry out both actions when stopping at an Encounter space: draw an Encounter card AND buy a Calligraphy card.

End of Game and Scoring

Consulte o manual para detalhes sobre esta seção.

Tips for Winning

• Consider using the Devotion Amulet to convert coins spent on purchasable cards into Temple donation points, scoring immediate points and contributing to end-game scoring.
• If playing as Gotozaemon the souvenir seller, prioritize stopping at Panorama spaces to gain extra coins, especially if you choose to take a Cherry Tree for 2 points and 2 coins.
• If you have the Fasting Calligraphy card, strategically skip Meals at Inns to maximize its scoring potential of 3 points per uneaten Meal.