How to Play Nippon | Rules & Setup Guide

Get Ready

Setup the game with these step-by-step instructions before diving into your turn.

Place the game board

Lay the game board on the table, divided into several districts including 4 regions on the map of Japan

Choose player colors

Each player selects a color (yellow, red, purple, or blue) and takes corresponding components

Distribute contract tokens

Each player takes 8 different contract tokens (1 of each type) and places them face up

Take scheme token

Each player receives 1 scheme token worth 1 point

Collect influence tokens

Each player takes 10 influence tokens of their color (values from 1 to 7)

Set starting victory points

Place player discs on the victory point track: 1st player on 10, 2nd on 11, 3rd on 12, 4th on 13

Position counting marker

Place the white counting marker on the leftmost cell of the counting track

Prepare player boards

Each player takes a board matching their color symbol (their Zaibatsu)

Stock the budget zone

Place 12,000 Yen and 2 black coal cubes in your budget zone

Place ship tokens

Stack 6 ship tokens of your color with "2VP" side up in the ships zone

Place train tokens

Stack 6 train tokens of your color with "+2" side up in the trains zone

Set track markers

Place 1 black cube on position "2" of coal track, position "12" of money track, and position "1" of knowledge track

Prepare VP multiplier tokens

Place 4 multiplier tokens (2x VP) near the game board

Sort factory tokens

Organize factory tokens by the goods they produce (silk, paper, bento, lenses, watches, lamps) and place scheme-side up near the board

Arrange reward tokens

Sort by VP multiplier (2x-5x) on back, then by bonus on front; place in 12 stacks on reward cells with bonus side up

Distribute city tokens

Randomly place 1 city token face up on each city cell (2 per region), return extras to box

Fill the bag with workers

Place all 48 worker meeples in the bag

Populate action cells

Draw and place 3 workers on each action cell on the game board

Fill worker rows

Draw and place 3 workers on each worker row on the game board

Adjust for fewer players

For 3 players: remove 1 worker of each color, use only 3 worker rows with 3 workers each, remove 1 reward token per stack, use 6 train/ship cells per region; For 2 players: remove 2 workers of each color, use only 2 worker rows with 2 workers each, remove 2 reward tokens per stack, use 4 train/ship cells per region

On Your Turn

What you can do during your turn.

Choose your action type

Either take 1 worker from the game board and perform the corresponding action, OR consolidate (see consolidation rules)

Take a worker

Select 1 worker from any action cell on the game board

Place the worker

Put the worker on the leftmost empty worker cell on your player board

Perform the action

Execute 1 action shown on the cell where you took the worker from

Select between dual actions

If the action cell shows 2 actions, choose only one to perform

Maximum worker limit

You may have maximum 6 workers on your board; after taking the 6th, you must consolidate on your next turn

Complete actions fully

You must choose an action you can complete in full

Refill empty action cells

If an action cell becomes empty, take workers from the topmost non-empty worker row and place them on the empty cell

Refill empty worker rows

When all worker rows are empty: fill all action cells to 3 workers, fill all worker rows with 3 workers from the bag, move counting marker 1 step right

Trade schemes for upgrades

At any point during your turn, discard 3 schemes to move any one track marker (money, coal, or knowledge) up 1 step; repeat as desired

Invest in factories

Pay 6,000 Yen, meet knowledge requirements (level 2/4/6 for factory levels 1/2/3), optionally discard schemes to cover knowledge gaps, place factory token face up; maximum one factory per good type

Produce goods

Run production on 1-3 factories by discarding required coal, taking 1 cube from supply to storage zone, plus additional cubes if machine token present (+1 or +2); each factory produces only once per turn

Build machines

Pay 5,000 Yen per upgrade (1-3 times): either place new machine token (+1 side up) on a factory, or flip existing +1 token to +2 side

Store excess machines

If you cannot place machines on factories, keep +1 tokens in your supply and place them when building new factories

Gain knowledge

Pay 1,000/3,000/6,000 Yen to move knowledge marker up 1/2/3 steps; cannot exceed maximum

Develop mines

Pay 1,000/3,000/6,000 Yen to move coal marker up 1/2/3 steps; cannot exceed maximum

Build trains

Pay 5,000 Yen per train (1-3), take train tokens left to right from your board, place each on empty train/ship cells in different regions

Build ships

Pay 5,000 Yen per ship (1-3), take ship tokens left to right from your board, place each on empty train/ship cells in different regions

Unlock money track

When train/ship removal reveals the money symbol, immediately move money track marker up 1 step

Export goods

Complete 1-3 contracts by selecting open contract tokens, discarding required goods (cube count and types shown), receiving bonus (Yen or VP), moving money track up if indicated, then flipping contract face down

Supply local market

Place 1-3 influence tokens in 1 region: discard 1/2/3 goods of a type, place influence token of matching value on available influence cell next to city demanding that good, immediately receive region bonus (5,000 Yen, 2 coal, 2 schemes, or 2 VP)

Determine influence value

Reference the table on the game board showing goods type and cube quantity to find maximum influence token value; you may always place a lower value token

Replace influence tokens

Place on a cell occupied by a lower-value token, returning that token to its owner

Displace tokens in full cities

If maximum tokens surround a city, place higher-value token on empty cell only if your value exceeds at least one existing token; remove and return the lowest-value token

Reset budget

Discard all Yen and coal from your budget zone, then take new amounts based on your track marker positions

Claim Emperor's reward

If you have at least 3 workers, take 1 reward token of level equal to or lower than the number above your rightmost worker (2-5); receive the bonus shown (5,000 Yen, 2 schemes, or 2 coal)

Take multiplier instead

If only higher-level reward tokens remain, skip this step; if no reward tokens remain, take a 2x VP multiplier instead

Place reward/multiplier token

Put the token (VP side up) on an empty achievement cell on your board; if all cells full, discard the token

Lock placed tokens

Reward/multiplier tokens cannot be moved, removed, or swapped once placed

Pay for workers

Pay 3,000 Yen per worker color on your board; lose 2 VP for each color you cannot pay

Return workers

Place all workers from your board back into the bag

Trigger row refill

If needed, refill worker rows as described above