Bozu Mekuri
Bozu Mekuri is a 10-minute card game for 2–6 players, played with Hyakunin Isshu poet cards. Keep nobles, lose your cards to monks, take the pile with ladies. Free in your browser, no sign-up.
Bozu Mekuri in 30 seconds
- Set upShuffle the 100 poet cards of the Hyakunin Isshu and stack them face down as the deck.
- Take turnsTurn over the top card. Keep a noble, send your cards to the pile on a monk, take the pile on a lady.
- Special cardsSemimaru puts you out; an emperor stays with you and lets you draw one more (both can be changed).
- WinWhen the deck runs out, the player holding the most cards wins.
At a glance
| Item | This game |
|---|---|
| Players | 2–6 players |
| Play time | About 10 min |
| Type | Karuta |
| Ranked play | No |
| Practice against the CPU | Yes |
| Price | Free (no account needed) |
| Rights holder | A public-domain classic game |
| Last updated | 2026-09-19 |
How to play Bozu Mekuri online with friends
- Tap "Play with friends"A party is created with a 6-character code. No account is needed.
- Send a link or QR codeShare it on LINE, or just read the code aloud.
- Everyone opens it in a browserOnce 2–6 players have joined, the host taps "Start".
Rule highlights
Setup, play, winning, and house rules
Setup
- 2 to 6 players. On your own, play against three computer players.
- Shuffle the 100 reading cards of the Hyakunin Isshu (each shows a poet) and stack them face down as the deck.
How to play
- Take turns turning over the top card of the deck.
- A noble (a man's card) goes in front of you.
- A monk sends every card you hold, together with the monk, to the pile in the middle.
- A lady (a woman's card) lets you take her card and the whole pile.
- Semimaru puts you out at once: your cards go to the pile and you get no more turns. (You can set him to skip a turn, count as a monk, count as a noble, or send everyone's cards to the pile instead.)
- An emperor or retired emperor stays with you, and you may draw one more card or stop there. If that extra card is a monk, all your cards go to the pile.
Winning
- The game ends when the deck runs out. The player holding the most cards wins. Cards left in the pile belong to no one.
- Players with the same number of cards share a place; if two or more share first, the game is a tie.
- Players who are out come last. If everyone else is out, the last player left wins.
House rules
| Name | Description | Default | Changeable |
|---|---|---|---|
| SemimaruSemimaruSemimaru is the poet shown in a hood. You're out puts your cards and the drawn card on the pile and you drop out. Skip a turn keeps the card and you miss your next turn. Everyone's cards to the pile sends every player's cards, yours included, to the pile. Same as a monk and Same as a noble treat him like those cards. | What happens when Semimaru is drawn. Whether he counts as a monk differs between card sets and families. | You're out | Can be changed |
| EmperorsEmperorsThe 8 emperor cards include Emperor Tenji and Empress Jitō (who is also a lady). Keep it and draw one more lets you draw again right away. Take everyone's cards gives you every other player's cards, a big comeback. With Ordinary card they act like any noble or lady. | What happens when one of the 8 emperor cards is drawn. | Keep it and draw one more | Can be changed |
| LadiesLadiesDrawing a lady lets you take every card on the pile (put there by monks). Take the pile and draw one more also lets you draw again. Draw one more if the pile is empty gives the extra draw only when there was nothing to take. | What happens when a lady is drawn. | Take the pile | Can be changed |
| May stop instead of drawing one more | When an emperor or lady gives you one more draw, you choose whether to take it. Turn this off to make the extra draw compulsory. | On | Can be changed |
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FAQ
How many can play?
2 to 6 players. On your own, play against three computer players.
Where does the artwork come from?
It is a public-domain (CC0) tracing of Hishikawa Moronobu's 1680 woodcut edition of the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu.
Do I need to know the Hyakunin Isshu?
No. Every card you draw is labelled on screen as a noble, lady, monk, emperor or Semimaru, so you don't need to know the poems.
Can I play on a phone?
Yes. No app is needed — just open it in a browser. You can join the same party as people on a PC or tablet.
Can two people play?
Yes. This game supports 2 or more players.
Rights holder and physical edition
This is a public-domain classic game. The rules follow the standard reference rules.
Related games
Same type (Karuta)
This is currently the only Karuta game. More will appear here as they are added.
Same player count
Last updated 2026-09-19 · Run by Qdan, Inc.