Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

As someone who considers themselves a gamer on every level - from card games, to video games, to board games - this game exceeded my expectations. In fact, I never even had expectations to begin with, since a couple of friends introduced me to it during a get-together. Needless to say, I was hooked. The gameplay: Relying not on cutthroat competitive mechanics, it instead rewards those with patience and calm. This was a key element of the game for me, which really made it stand out from others in the genre. Having a multitude of different characters to choose from (albeit semi-random) increases replayability and experimentation with the various "perks" each character comes with. The rules are fairly straightforward, however since the concept is not a "race to the finish", it can be confusing for new, inexperienced gamers at first. But trust me, after one game under your belt, the rest will be a breeze. The designers did a great job of balancing the mid-game with the end-game. As the saying goes, "it's not over 'til the fat sumo sings" (is that how it goes??), because you don't always have a clear winner until the final points are tallied. The Art: It's pretty rare for board games to be praised for artwork, but this game is gorgeous to look at! The colors are bright, yet not overly saturated to make your eyes bleed. It sticks close to the Japanese theme, even down to the physical coins which look like the old form of currency called "mon". All of the characters are stylized and unique. It's a treat to complete panoramic scenes, and even the food cards make you drool. Another piece of sushi, please! Conclusion: Whether you're a hardcore gamer, or a casual player, this game is a ton of fun. It really delivers on the promise to give you the sense of adventure and journey. Meet people, buy souvenirs, enjoy a hot meal, take a bath...you decide! I especially recommend it for fans of Japanese culture.