Gamehelpjapanesegarden

2026-09-12T04:27:22Z

MeeplePuppet: Initial how-to-play of the game that captures the flow and scoring of the game

== Japanese Garden ==
In Japanese Garden every player is trying to decorate their garden across a year following aesthetics rules such that by the end of the following Summer theirs is deemed the most beautiful.

== How to Play ==
Japanese Garden is a roll-and-write where you will be drawing decorations and ponds into your garden's 6x6 grid of cells to see who the best garden designer is. The game takes place across the four seasons, starting in Autumn and ending in Summer, where each season where there are three decoration rounds, where the dice are rolled and decorations are drawn, before you can draw a Pond which can change how the different decorations can score. At the end of Summer your garden is scored based on the placement of each Decoration and Ponds and the garden with the best score wins.

=== Decorating Phase ===
For each of the three Decorating rounds each season, the players roll the three Decoration dice. Each die has a face for each of the six Decorations and a number for each of the six columns-and-rows of the garden grid. After each roll, you decide whether you will Draw 2 Decorations or Prune the Bonsai, if they have any remaining Bonsai Leaves. You may draw Decorations into Ponds that were previously placed. ''Note: Since the scoring of Decorations is highly dependent on Pond placement, drawing a Bridge or Rocks over a previously added Pond can improve your score.''

After everyone has finished their turn, you mark the turn on your player mat then move to the next Decorating round or to the Pond phase.
==== Draw 2 Decorations ====
You will select 1 dice's numerical value to determine which column-and-row's cells in the garden grid you can draw in and then draw each of the Decorations on the other two faces in one of the undecorated cells available. If you can't, or do not wish to, you either have to select a different one of the dice to determine the available cells and draw different Decorations or, if Bonsai Leaves are available, Prune the Bonsai instead.

If neither Draw 2 Decorations nor Prune the Bonsai are possible, then draw no Decorations and skip the round instead.
==== Prune the Bonsai ====
To Prune a Bonsai you mark off a Bonsai Leaf on your player mat, then they may draw one Decoration from the rolled dice in any undecorated cell.
=== Pond Phase ===
For each Pond phase you may create a Pond, if you choose to, and mark it on your player mat. Each Pond marked at the end of a season is worth +3 points at the end of the game and they can be used to cover cells that would otherwise receive a -1 penalty for being

Any cell that is not a Pond is a Land cell. You may draw a Pond over Decorations that were previously placed. Any Decoration that is in a Pond is in water.

To mark a Pond select a Land cell that is not touching a previously marked Pond on any side or corner. Then, you may add to the Pond by selecting a Land cell that touches any of the new Pond's cells on a at least one side, but does not try to create a loop or touch a previously marked Pond on any side or corner. Once you are done selecting cells, mark them all as a Pond and mark off the Pond for the current Season.
=== End Game ===
After the Summer Pond phase the game ends and points are scored for based on:
; '''Decoration Points''' each cell is sum of scores for Lantern, Bamboo, Trees, Moss, Bridge and Rocks based on individual scoring requirements.
: ''Lantern, Bamboo, Trees, Moss and Rocks'' write their points directly on the garden grid and are summed up as part of each Decoration's scoring section.
: ''Bridges'' write their points directly into the scoring section.
: '' Lantern, Bamboo, Trees, Moss and Bridges'' write their penalties directly onto the garden grid and are summed up as part of the penalty section.
: ''Undecorated Land cells'' write their penalties directly onto the garden grid.
; '''Pond Points''' +3 score for each Pond drawn.
; '''Penalty Points''' -1 Penalty per undecorated.

The player with the highest score wins. If tied, the player with the most Bonsai Leaves remaining wins. If still tied, share the victory.

== Scoring ==
During scoring for each cell is written on them based on whether they scored directly (Lantern, Bamboo, Moss, Tree or Rocks) or whether they received a penalty (Lantern, Bamboo, Moss, Tree, Bridges and undecorated Land.) These are then all summed up as part of
=== Decorations ===
The point total from each decoration is marked on the garden grid, including penalties, and then all non-penalty points are totalled into the score for each Decoration type.

Each Decoration has scoring requirement based on placement related to Decorations of the same type and to Water cells. Always score the lowest point requirement that a Decoration meets. This means that a Tree in water will always score a "-1 Penalty" even if it was Drawn in Summer.
;Lantern
:'''+3 Points''': There is a distance of 4 cells or more between it and the closest Lantern. ''Note: This requires at least two lanterns to score.''
:'''Nothing''': The nearest Lantern is a distance of 3 cells or less between it and the closest Lantern. ''Note: This means that both Lanterns will not score''
:'''-1 Penalty''': In water.
;Bamboo
:'''+2 Points''': Another Bamboo is touching on at least one side. ''Note: This means all Bamboo touching this way will score.''
:'''Nothing''': Not touching another Bamboo on a side or only touching diagonally.
:'''-1 Penalty''': In water.
;Trees
:'''+1 Point''': Drawn during Autumn or Winter.
:'''+2 Points''': Drawn during Spring or Summer ''Note: Mark these with a dot in the cell.''
:'''-1 Penalty''': In water.
;Moss
:'''+1-3 Points''': Scores +1 point per water cell it touches on a side.
:'''Nothing''': Not touching a water cell on a side or only touching diagonally.
:'''-1 Penalty''': In water.
;Bridges
:Bridges score based on the number that meet the scoring requirement. For 1 valid bridge +1 point, 2: +4 points, 3: +9 points, 4 or more: +15 points.
:'''Scores''': Scores if it is placed in a Water cell where it forms a line of Land-Water-Land either across a row or down a column. The edge of the map does not count as land.
:'''Nothing''': It touches another Bridge on a side. ''Note: This means that both Bridges will not score.''
:'''-1 Penalty''': On land.
;Rocks
:'''+2 Points''': In water.
:'''+1 Points''': On land.
:'''Nothing''': It touches another Rocks on a side or diagonally. ''Note: This means that both Rocks will not score.''
;Ponds
:'''+3 Points''': Each Pond marked on the player mat. Size of Pond does not change score.
;Undecorated Cell
:'''Nothing''': On In water.
:'''-1 Penalty''': On land.

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