Jason Johnson

Hanafuda Games: Sensu Edition Jason Johnson

Learn how to play hanafuda!



An in-depth collection of 37 great games, including popular games such as Koi-Koi, Go-Stop, and Hachi-Hachi.



Organized into categories by type and difficulty, this step-by-step rulebook includes intuitive scoring samples, visual references, numerous variants, gameplay samples, and quick reference charts.

This book features the art of the Sensu hanafuda deck series!
*Note: The Sensu Edition of the Hanafuda Games rulebook has the same text content as the Hanami Edition.

Rulebook Includes the following games:


Capture Games are the most popular hanafuda games. Capture games involve capturing cards from a field and creating yaku (special combinations of cards) to score points.

Simplified Game for Beginners (Absolute Beginner, 2-4 players)
Matching Flowers (Beginner, 2-3 players)
Hana-Awase 1 (Beginner, 3-4 players)
Hana-Awase 2 (Beginner, 3 players)
Mushi (Beginner, 2 players)
Six Hundred (Beginner, 2-3 players)
Hachi-juu Hana (Beginner, 2-3 players)
Min-Hwatu (Intermediate, 2-3 players)
Koi-Koi (Intermediate, 2 players)
Oni Koi-Koi (Intermediate, 2 players)
Higo-Bana (Intermediate, 2-7 players)
Tensho, simplified (Intermediate, 2 players)
Go-Stop (Expert, 2-7 players)
Hachi-Hachi (Expert, 2-7 players)
Sudaoshi (Expert, 3 players)
Hachi, simplified (Expert, 2 players)
Hachi (Expert, 2 players)
Tensho (Expert, 2 players)


Sequence Games involve playing cards from your hand in sequential order with the objective to empty your hand. Sequence games are a great way to learn hanafuda month order.

Poka (Beginner, 2 players)
Hiyoko, simplified (Beginner, 2-4 players)
Isuri, simplified (Beginner, 2-3 players)
Kage (Beginner, 2 players)
Hiyoko (Intermediate, 2-4 players)
Isuri (Intermediate, 2-3 players)


Luck Games are simple, fast-paced, gambling-oriented games. Many of the games in this section were traditionally played with Kabufuda decks.

Sutda, simplified (Beginner, 2-10 players)
Hiki-Kabu (Beginner, 2-10 players)
Oicho-Kabu (Beginner, 2-10 players)
Kyo-Kabu (Beginner, 2-10 players)
Kingo (Beginner, 2-10 players)
Sota (Intermediate, 2-6 players)
Sutda (Intermediate, 2-10 players)

Fusion Games are a collection of Western-inspired games that we reinterpreted and designed for gameplay with a hanafuda deck. These games provide a familiar platform for Western players to become more comfortable with the hanafuda deck.

Seasons (Beginner, 1-4 players)
Pyramid (Beginner, 1 players)
Solitaire (Intermediate, 1 players)
Eight Off (Intermediate, 1 players)
Hana-Rumi (Intermediate, 2-4 players)
Hana-Gin (Intermediate, 2-4 players)