List of Japanese board games

This is a list of board games invented, developed, and/or with cultural significance in Japan.

Game name	Year	Origin	Players	Gameplay style	Similar Games
Go (囲碁 igo)	4th Century BCE	Traditional	2	Strategic territory and surrounding game
Love Letter	2012	Kanai Factory	2–4	Risk and deduction game	Coup
Gomoku (五目並べ gomokunarabe)	circa 850	Traditional	2	Strategic abstract game played with Go pieces on a Renju board (15×15), goal to reach five in a row	Renju, Four in a row, Irensei
Irensei (囲連星)	1987	Traditional	2	Strategic abstract game played with Go pieces on a Go board (19×19); unites elements of the game of Go with those of Gomoku	Go, Gomoku
Jinsei Game (人生ゲーム jin-sei gēmu)	1967	Takara	?	Japanese adaption of The Game of Life	The Game of Life
Machi Koro (街コロ)	2012	Grounding Inc.	2–5	Tabletop city-building/resource-gathering game using cards and dice	Catan
Renju (連珠)	1899	Traditional	2	Strategic five-in-a-row game with equal chances for both players	Pente, Gomoku
Riichi Mahjong (リーチ麻雀 Riichi Maajan)	1924	Traditional	4	Chinese Mahjong with Japanese rules	Mahjong
Shadow Hunters (シャドウハンターズ shadō hantāzu)	2005	Game Republic	4–8	Supernatural themed, strategic, secret team play	Bang!, Mafia
Shogi and variants (将棋 shōgi, generals' chess) Japanese chess	16th Century	Traditional	2	Played on a 9×9 board; can use captured pieces against opponent	Chess
Sugoroku (双六)	6th Century	Traditional	?	Race game, two variants	Backgammon (variant), Snakes and Ladders (variant)