Japanese Mancala: Rules and How to Play
Japanese Mancala is a board game for 2 to 4 players, about 10 minutes. Empty your own side first and you win. Free. In-browser. No account.
Objective
Japanese Mancala is the version of mancala spread in Japan through the Japan Recreation Association. It uses the same board as Kalah, but the goal is the opposite of hoarding: sow stones into the stores to get rid of them, and the first player to empty their own side wins. There are no captures, so it is quick to learn and easy to play with three or four.
Setup
- Two to four players. Each player owns six pockets (seven or four by setting) and one store at the end of their side.
- Put four stones in every pocket (three by setting). The stores start empty.
- Turns pass anticlockwise. Your own side is always drawn along the bottom of the screen.
How to play
- Choose one of your pockets and pick up every stone in it. Empty pockets cannot be chosen.
- Sow the stones one at a time into the following pockets, moving anticlockwise.
- You sow through your own store and through everyone else's. A stone that lands in any store is out of play for good.
- With enough stones you go right round the board. The pocket you emptied is not skipped.
- If your last stone lands in any store, you take another turn. Stones are never captured.
- Because every store you pass takes a stone out of play, long sowings that run through several stores empty your side fastest, while a small pocket near your own store can set up an extra turn.
Winning and scoring
- If your own side is empty the moment you finish sowing, you win.
- With 3 or 4 players, the winner's pockets and store are lifted off the board and the rest play on. Finishing order is the ranking, and whoever is left last comes last.
- Turn that setting off and the game stops at the first player to empty their side; the rest are ranked by how few stones they have left.
- You may also give up, which puts you last.
Common variants
- Compared with Kalah — the mancala most English speakers know — you sow into every store, there are no captures, and the winner is the first to empty their side rather than the player with the most stones.
- Board size: six pockets each is the default. With two players you can choose seven; with three or four, four pockets make a shorter game.
- Starting stones: four per pocket by default, or three for a faster game.
- Finishing order: by default, with three or four players everyone plays on until all places are decided. Switch off "Play out for full ranking" to stop as soon as the first player wins.
Defaults on this site
| Item | Default on this site |
|---|---|
| Players | 2–4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pockets each | How many pockets each player owns. With 2 players choose six or seven; with 3 or 4 players choose six or four. A number that does not fit the table falls back to six. | Six | Can be changed |
| Stones per pocket | How many stones start in each pocket. Fewer stones means a shorter game. | Four | Can be changed |
| Play out for full ranking | Only applies with 3 or 4 players. On, the winner is lifted off the board and the rest play on until everyone is placed. Off, the game stops at the first player to empty their side. With 2 players it makes no difference. | On | Can be changed |
| Swap who starts | Swap the starting player after each game. | On | Can be changed |
Terms
- One of the hollows that holds stones. You own six of them (seven or four by setting).
- Side
- All of your own pockets together. Empty it first and you win.
- Store
- The large hollow at the end of your side. Stones that land there leave play.
- Sow
- To drop the stones you lifted one at a time into the following hollows.
- Extra turn
- The free turn you get when your last stone lands in a store.
- Finishing
- Emptying your side and being lifted off the board. The order of finishing is the ranking.
FAQ
Do stones go into other players' stores?
Yes. Any stone that reaches a store is out of play for good.
Is the pocket I emptied skipped?
No. If you have enough stones to go right round, that pocket gets one too.
When do I get an extra turn?
Whenever your last stone lands in a store, whoever owns it.
Can I choose an empty pocket?
No. Only pockets holding at least one stone can be chosen.
What happens to a player who finishes with 3 or 4 at the table?
Their pockets and store are lifted off the board and skipped while sowing. The rest play on, and finishing order becomes the ranking.
Can a game be drawn?
Only with Play out for full ranking switched off, where two players can be left holding the same number of stones.
How is this different from Mancala (Kalah)?
Japanese Mancala (this game) is won by being the first to empty your own side, with no capturing — the version spread in Japan by the Japan Recreation Association. Mancala (Kalah) is won by collecting the most stones in your store, and landing in an empty pocket of your own captures the stones opposite.
Play now with these rules
Last updated 2026-09-14 · Run by Qdan, Inc.