Game Objective

Ah, feudal Japan! In Tokaido, you're not in a race, but rather on a tranquil and contemplative journey. The objective is to be the traveler who most enjoys the trip along the legendary Tokaido road, collecting the most beautiful memories, meeting interesting people, and savoring the landscapes and delicacies. The player who accumulates the most Victory Points (VP) at the end of the journey will be the grand winner!

Preparation (Setup)

Setting up Tokaido is as relaxing as the game itself. Follow these steps to arrange your table:

1. Open the game board in the center of the table. It represents the Tokaido road.
2. Separate the cards by type (Panorama, Encounter, Souvenir, Hot Springs, Meal) and shuffle each pile separately. Place them in their respective spaces on the board.
3. Place the Money coins (if any) and the Victory Point (VP) markers in their designated areas on the board.
4. Each player chooses a traveler pawn and places it on the starting space (the first space on the board).
5. Each player receives an initial number of coins (the manual doesn't specify, but it's usually a fixed value for everyone).
6. Distribute the VP markers to each player, starting from zero.

The Game Turn

The journey in Tokaido is simple and fluid. The player who is furthest "behind" on the road (i.e., closest to the start of the board) is always the next to play. This means a player can have several consecutive turns!

On your turn, you must:

1. Move your traveler pawn: Choose an empty space ahead of your pawn on the road and move it there. You cannot jump over other travelers unless the destination space is empty.
2. Perform the space's action: Each type of space on the board offers a different action:
   • Inns: These are mandatory stopping points. Upon arrival, you can buy Meal cards.
   • Hot Springs: Gain Victory Points (VP) and perhaps some coins.
   • Farms: Gain money.
   • Panoramas: Collect Panorama cards (Mountain, Countryside, Sea). Completing a set of landscapes earns many VPs!
   • Encounters: Draw an Encounter card and follow its instructions, which can range from gaining money to VPs or even other actions.
   • Souvenir Shops: Buy Souvenir cards to collect and gain VPs at the end of the game.

Remember: planning your moves is crucial to optimize your actions and collect the best benefits!

End of Game and Scoring

The game ends when all travelers reach the last Inn. The game is divided into several travel stages, and each stage ends when all players reach the next inn.

The final score is calculated by summing:

• The Victory Points (VP) accumulated during the journey.
• Points for completing Panorama collections.
• Points for Souvenir collections.
• Points for having the most of certain types of cards or for having visited certain locations more often (the manual doesn't detail this, but it's a common rule in collection games).
• Points for having the most money remaining (if any).

The player with the highest total of Victory Points is the winner!

Tips for Winning

To become a master in Tokaido, consider these tips:

1. Plan your moves: Since the player furthest "behind" always plays, you can plan sequences of actions. Think about which spaces you want to visit and how you can chain your moves to maximize your gains.
2. Don't underestimate the Inns: Although they are mandatory stops, the Meals you can buy there can yield valuable points and are a way to spend your money efficiently.
3. Diversify or specialize? Decide if you want to try to collect a bit of everything (Panoramas, Souvenirs, Encounters) or focus on one or two strategies. Sometimes, being the best in a specific category can earn more bonus points at the end of the game.