Let’s Play Hanafuda!

Hanafuda (flower cards) is a Japanese deck of cards quite unlike any other. Based heavily on image association, Hanafuda remain popular across the world. Nintendo, now famous for their digital games, was originally founded to produce Hanafuda and continues to print the beautiful cards – including limited edition Mario and Pokemon decks.

This November, the Japan Foundation has invited Japanese board game expert Nobuaki Takerube to provide you with the unique opportunity to experience Hanafuda at beginner level. Try your hand at this addictive combination of skill, luck and speed.

At the beginning of the workshop, Takerube will briefly touch on the origins of Hanafuda and other traditional card games to explore how they relate to the vast world of Japanese gaming.

Nobuaki Takerube
Nobuaki Takerube (Tak) is a Japanese Game designer, translator and writer. He is also the director, writer and main designer of RPG Tokyo NOVA and has translated many foreign boardgames into Japanese. Takerube founded Japon Brand to bring awareness and knowledge of Japanese games to the wider world.

For ages 7 and above (Children under 11 must be accompanied by a responsible adult.)