Hanafuda Koi-Koi Basic Rules
Complete Guide for Beginners
Hanafuda Koi-Koi is a traditional Japanese card game. Using 48 beautiful flower cards, players compete by creating combinations (yaku). Here we explain the basic rules in an easy-to-understand way.
Types of Hanafuda Cards
12 months × 4 cards = 48 cards total
Card Matching Example
Hand
Cherry Curtain
Field
Cherry Red
Capture!
Same Month (March)
Card Categories
Light Cards (Hikari): 5 cards - Most valuable
Animal Cards (Tane): 9 cards - Features animals
Ribbon Cards (Tanzaku): 10 cards - Features ribbons
Plain Cards (Kasu): 24 cards - Basic cards
Cards by Month
January (Pine): Crane with Pine (Light), Pine with Red Ribbon, Plain Pine ×2
February (Plum): Bush Warbler with Plum (Animal), Plum with Red Ribbon, Plain Plum ×2
March (Cherry): Curtain with Cherry (Light), Cherry with Red Ribbon, Plain Cherry ×2
April (Wisteria): Cuckoo with Wisteria (Animal), Wisteria with Ribbon, Plain Wisteria ×2
May (Iris): Bridge with Iris (Animal), Iris with Ribbon, Plain Iris ×2
June (Peony): Butterfly with Peony (Animal), Peony with Blue Ribbon, Plain Peony ×2
July (Bush Clover): Boar with Clover (Animal), Clover with Ribbon, Plain Clover ×2
August (Pampas): Moon with Pampas (Light), Geese with Pampas (Animal), Plain Pampas ×2
September (Chrysanthemum): Sake Cup with Mum (Animal), Mum with Blue Ribbon, Plain Mum ×2
October (Maple): Deer with Maple (Animal), Maple with Blue Ribbon, Plain Maple ×2
November (Willow): Rain Man with Willow (Light), Swallow with Willow (Animal), Willow with Ribbon, Plain Willow
December (Paulownia): Phoenix with Paulownia (Light), Plain Paulownia ×3
Game Flow
Start with 8 cards in hand, 8 on field
Setup
Deal 8 cards to each player, place 8 face-up on field. Rest forms the deck.
Play from Hand
Choose 1 card from hand to play. If it matches a month on field, capture both.
Draw from Deck
Draw 1 card from deck. If it matches a month on field, capture both.
Check for Yaku
If you made a yaku, choose "Koi-Koi" or "Stop".
Koi-Koi or Stop
"Koi-Koi": Continue for higher score "Stop": End round and secure points
Round End
Round ends when someone stops or all cards are played.
The "Koi-Koi" System
Risk vs Reward gameplay
Koi-Koi Example
Ino-Shika-Cho (5 points) completed!
If you Stop
5 points secured!
If you Koi-Koi
Can aim for more (with risk)
What is "Koi-Koi"?
When you make a yaku, you can choose to continue the round or end it.
Benefits
- • Can make multiple yaku
- • Can upgrade existing yaku to higher scoring ones
- • Final score doubles (if 7+ points)
Risks
- • Score becomes 0 if opponent makes yaku first
- • Draw (0 points) if cards run out
- • Gives opponent more chances
Score Calculation
Sum up yaku points
Scoring Examples
Example 1: Ino-Shika-Cho only = 5 points
→ Choose "Stop" → Get 5 points
Example 2: Red Ribbons + Blue Ribbons = 10 points
Red Ribbons (5pts)
Blue Ribbons (5pts)
→ Total 10 points
Example 3: Koi-Koi Double
→ (5pts + 5pts) × 2 = 20 points!
Basic Calculation
- • Add up all yaku points
- • If you called Koi-Koi and won with 7+ points, double the score
- • Also doubles if opponent called Koi-Koi
Scoring Examples
- • Ino-Shika-Cho (5pts) only = 5 points
- • Ino-Shika-Cho (5pts) + Red Ribbons (5pts) = 10 points
- • Ino-Shika-Cho (5pts) + Red Ribbons (5pts) with Koi-Koi = 20 points (doubled)
- • 5 Animals (1pt) + 10 Plains (1pt) = 2 points (not doubled)
Tips for Beginners
Start here
- 💡Aim for simple yaku first (Ino-Shika-Cho, Red/Blue Ribbons)
- 💡Always capture Light cards when possible
- 💡Be careful with Koi-Koi (safer to Stop at first)
- 💡Remember opponent's captured cards
- 💡Use Practice Mode with hints to learn