Hanamikoji rules: how to play and how to win
Reviewed on 21 October 2026 against the publisher’s rulebook. How we check
Hanamikoji is a 2-player game played over one to three rounds: each player gives items to seven Geisha to win their favor. Here are the essential rules, setup and victory conditions, based on the official rulebook.
- Players
- 2
- Play time
- About 15 minutes
- Winner
- The first to 4 Geisha or 11 Charm Points
Hanamikoji quick rules
- The goal
- Seven Geisha are lined up between the two players. Each one is worth 2, 3, 4 or 5 Charm Points and loves a single type of item. A Geisha joins the player who gave her the most items of her type. You win with 4 Geisha, or with 11 Charm Points.
- A round
- One Item Card is removed at random, unseen, then each player gets 6 cards. Players then take four turns each, alternating. On your turn, you draw a card, then perform one of your four actions and flip its marker: each action is used once per round.
- Secret and Trade-off
- With Secret, you place one card face down under your marker: it will be revealed at the end of the round and count for you. With Trade-off, you place two cards face down: they do not count this round.
- Gift and Competition
- With Gift, you show three cards: your opponent takes one, and you place the other two on your side. With Competition, you show four cards in two sets: your opponent picks a set, and you place the other. All these cards count this round.
- End of a round
- Reveal the Secret cards, then compare the items on each side of each Geisha. The player with more takes her Victory Marker, even if it was on the opponent’s side. On a tie, the marker does not move. Victory Markers stay in place for the next round.
- End of the game
- As soon as a player has 4 Geisha or 11 Charm Points at the end of a round, they win; if one has 4 Geisha and the other 11 Charm Points, more Charm Points wins. Otherwise, play another round, started by the other player. After the third, more Charm Points wins; on a tie, nobody does.
- Beginner pitfalls
- A Geisha you won can go back to your opponent in a later round. The Secret card counts, the two Trade-off cards do not. And one Item Card is missing each round: a majority that looks safe is not always safe.
How to win Hanamikoji
- Charm Points
- Each Geisha whose Victory Marker is on your side gives you the points printed on her card: 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4 and 5, for 21 in total.
- Winning during the game
- At the end of a round, 4 Geisha or 11 Charm Points win the game. If both players meet a condition, the one with more Charm Points wins.
- After three rounds
- If nobody has won, the player with more Charm Points wins. On a tie, there is no winner.
Example ending
End of the second round: Emma has the Victory Markers of 3 Geisha, for 2 + 2 + 4 = 8 Charm Points. Jake also has 3 Geisha, but for 3 + 3 + 5 = 11 Charm Points: he wins the game.
Common mistakes
- Thinking a Geisha you won is yours for good: her marker switches sides if your opponent has more items.
- Moving a Victory Marker back to the center between rounds: it stays where it is.
- Playing a fourth round: the game ends after the third.
How to set up Hanamikoji
Setup takes a minute; dealing the Item Cards is repeated every round.
The Geisha
- Sit facing each other and line up the 7 Geisha Cards between you.Sorted by increasing Charm Points, they are easier to read.
- Place 1 Victory Marker in the center of each Geisha Card.
Each player
- Each player takes the 4 Action Markers of one color, colored side up.Secret, Trade-off, Gift and Competition: each action is used once per round.
The Item Cards
- The starting player shuffles the 21 Item Cards.
- They remove 1 card at random and put it back in the box, without anyone seeing it.
- Each player takes 6 cards into their hand, keeping them hidden.
- The 8 remaining cards form the Item deck, face down.The younger player starts the first round; after that, the other player starts the next one.
Frequently asked questions
How many cards do you start a round with in Hanamikoji?
6 cards each; one card is removed at random and the other 8 form the Item deck, one card per turn.
Do Trade-off cards count in Hanamikoji?
No: the two Trade-off cards do not count for the round, unlike the Secret card.
How do you win Hanamikoji?
With 4 Geisha or 11 Charm Points at the end of a round; after three rounds, more Charm Points wins.
Ludingo’s Hanamikoji sheet was last reviewed on 21 October 2026, based on: iello.fr, rulebook (PDF), BoardGameGeek.