Yoshikazu's Samurai Armour Sugoroku: Rules and How to Play
A sugoroku on the real 1858 print by Isshusai Yoshikazu: put on samurai armour piece by piece, loincloth to helmet, and return to camp in victory. 2–6 players, about 15 min, free.
Setup
- The board is the real print Katchu Chakuyo Sonae Sugoroku, drawn by Isshusai Yoshikazu in 1858, from the National Diet Library Digital Collections.
- 2–6 players. Playing alone, you face 3 CPUs.
- Everyone places a piece on the start square (bottom right). Each piece has its own shape, so you can tell them apart even on a shared square. Pieces never block or capture each other.
How to play
- Take turns rolling one die and move that many squares. From the start the route runs left along the bottom row, clockwise round the outside, then round the inside once more to the centre.
- The squares follow the order of dressing: loincloth, undershirt, sash, short hakama, tabi socks, leggings, straw sandals and shin guards (1–8); thigh guards, archer's glove, armoured sleeves, armpit guard, body armour, outer sash and shoulder guards, then two swords at the belt, throat guard, headband, face guard and helmet (9–20). From square 21 come the preparations and deeds of battle.
- The table on the start square (1 loincloth, 2 undershirt, 3 sash, 4 short hakama, 5 tabi, 6 leggings) is the same as moving by your roll: squares 1 to 6 carry the printed numbers ① to ⑥. These are the only printed numbers, so BGJ numbers the squares 1 to 41.
- No square has an inn (miss a turn) or a jump.
Winning and scoring
- The first player to reach Victorious Return to Camp in the centre with the exact roll wins.
- Extra pips send you back as the yellow panel to the left of the goal says: 1 extra to the Command Baton (41), 2 to the Battle Surcoat (40), 3 to the Commander's Fan (39), 4 to the Post-Road Bell (38) and 5 to the Great Armour (37).
- By default the game ends when the first player finishes; the others are ranked by how far they got. A house rule lets you play on until everyone is ranked.
Defaults on this site
| Item | Default on this site |
|---|---|
| Players | 2–6 players (set automatically by the party size) |
| Turn time limit | None by default (the host can set 30 or 60 seconds) |
| If someone drops mid-game | Reopening on the same device returns you to your seat. If you do not return, the CPU plays in your place. |
| Draws | In ranked play, a draw counts as halfway between a win and a loss for your rating. |
| Source of the rules | Based on the standard reference rules |
Rules supervised by Qdan, Inc. (based on the standard reference rules)
House rules
Defaults follow the standard reference rules. The party can change these.
| Name | Description | Default | Changeable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finishing | "As printed", the default, needs the exact roll to reach the centre; extra pips send you back to the Command Baton, Battle Surcoat, Commander's Fan, Post-Road Bell or Great Armour as the yellow panel says (on this board that is the same as moving back by the extra pips). "Bounce back" moves you back from the goal by the extra pips. "Over is fine" lets any roll that reaches the goal win. | As printed | Can be changed |
| Rank everyone | When on, play continues after the first player finishes until only one is left. Off by default (the game ends when one player finishes). | Off | Can be changed |
| Rotate first player on Again | Pressing Again passes the first turn of the next game to the next player. | On | Can be changed |
Terms
- Start
- The first square: bottom right, with the table of rolls 1–6.
- Goal
- The finish: Victorious Return to Camp (勝軍歸陣) in the centre.
- Gusoku
- A full suit of armour. On this board you put it on piece by piece.
- Yellow panel
- The rule printed left of the goal: where extra pips send you back.
FAQ
What if I roll too high at the end?
As the yellow panel says: 1 extra sends you to the Command Baton, 2 to the Battle Surcoat, 3 to the Commander's Fan, 4 to the Post-Road Bell and 5 to the Great Armour — each is the square that many steps back from the goal. A house rule also offers "Over is fine".
Are there squares that skip a turn or jump?
No. This is a plain race sugoroku; no square has a printed rule. The only rules are the table on the start square and the yellow panel at the goal.
Some labels are upside down — can I read them?
The print was made to be played from all four sides, so the top row is upside down and the side columns are sideways. BGJ spells out the current square's number, name and reading in the label box under the board.
Play now with these rules
Last updated 2026-09-25 · Run by Qdan, Inc.