🐟 How to Play Koi-Koi – A Beginner’s Guide to the Classic Hanafuda Game

Koi-Koi is one of the most popular traditional Japanese games played with a Hanafuda deck. It’s fast, fun, and full of strategy — and now, with the Sparrow Hanafuda Fusion Edition, it’s easier than ever to learn and play using a standard deck format.

In this guide, you’ll learn:

• How to set up a game of Koi-Koi
• What each turn looks like
• How to score points by forming yaku (card combinations)
• When to say “Koi-Koi!” — and when to hold back

🎯 Objective of the Game

Koi-Koi is a two-player game where players compete to collect sets of cards called yaku. These are specific combinations of Hanafuda cards, such as:

• Three “Bright” cards
• Five ribbon cards
• The famous “Boar, Deer, Butterfly” trio

Players can stop and score after earning a yaku — or take a risk and shout “Koi-Koi!” to keep playing for more points.

But be careful: if your opponent completes a yaku after you call Koi-Koi, they score double and you get nothing.

🃏 Game Setup & Dealing

🪙 Step 1: Choose a Dealer

Randomly select a dealer for the first round. After each round, players alternate dealing.

🎴 Step 2: Deal the Cards

• Shuffle the 48-card Hanafuda deck thoroughly.
• Deal 8 cards to each player (face-down).
• Deal 8 cards face-up to the center of the table.
• The remaining cards form a face-down draw pile.

🔄 Reshuffle rule: If the center has 4 or more cards from the same suit/month, reshuffle and redeal.

🔁 How a Turn Works

Each player takes turns in the following sequence:

1. Play a Card from Your Hand

• If it matches a center card (same month/suit), collect both.
• If no match, place your card in the center.

2. Draw from the Deck

• Flip the top card from the draw pile.
• If it matches a center card, collect both.
• If no match, place it in the center.

Collected cards go in your scoring pile. If you form a valid yaku, you’ll have a choice to make...

💫 Forming Yaku (Scoring Combinations)

After collecting cards, check for yaku. These combinations earn you points.

🧠 Yaku names and scoring may vary slightly by region — choose a ruleset and be consistent!

🗣️ Koi-Koi or Stop?

Once you form a yaku, you must decide:

• Stop: End the round and score your points.
• Koi-Koi: Keep playing and try to earn more points.

Risk: If your opponent forms a yaku before you stop, they score double and you score nothing.

🏁 End of Round & Scoring

A round ends when:

• A player stops and scores.
• The deck runs out of cards.
• A player clears all cards from the center (rare).

Score based on yaku formed. If Koi-Koi was called, additional points may be earned. First to 50 or 100 wins the game!

🛠 Example Turn

1. You play a Cherry Blossom and match it with one in the center.
2. You draw a Peony — no match, it stays on the table.
3. Later, you form the “Boar, Deer, Butterfly” combo.
4. You say “Koi-Koi!” to try for more.
5. Your opponent forms a yaku and ends the game — they score double while you score nothing.

🃴 Play with a Modern Deck

The Bicycle Sparrow Hanafuda Fusion Edition makes learning easier by:

• Matching card ranks (Ace = January, 2 = February, etc.)
• Grouping Brights and Animals in the Spades suit
• Including a QR code card that links to a visual symbol guide

👉 View the full Sparrow Hanafuda Symbol Key

🎮 More Great Card Games to Try

• 🎒 20 Great Card Games to Play with Kids
• 👫 Best 2-Player Card Games with a Standard Deck
• 🃏 40+ Great Card Games for All Occasions

Or explore our full 🧠 Card Games Hub for instructions on Go Fish, Crazy Eights, Solitaire, Poker, and more!