
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Momiji: Falling Leaves
- 1–4 players
- 30–60 min
- 2021

2021
Rules assistance for Momiji
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 1 player

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Momiji is a board game released in 2021 for 1–4 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Francesco Testini and Dario Massarenti and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Set Collection.
In Momiji, you attempt to fulfill objectives by collecting the most valuable autumn leaves from the Imperial Garden in ancient Japan. You start with a hand of six leaf cards and a series of three landscape powers that combine to form a unique panorama. (For the first game, landscapes are assigned, but they can be drafted in subsequent games.) Leaf cards come in 4-6 types depending on the number of players, with values of 0-3 in each type. Start with four random cards in the central playing area, sorted by type. Place 4-6 randomly chosen objective tokens in the center of play; sample objectives are collecting the most 0s, having the most cards of a specific type, or having the highest sum of visible cards at game's end. On your turn, choose one of these three options: Collect leaf cards: Take all the leaves of one type from the central display and add them to your hand; if you wish, pay one acorn token to reveal four new leaf cards prior to choosing a type. Play leaf cards: Place 1-2 leaf cards of the same type or two or more cards of different types in your player area. Each type is placed in its own pile, with 0 being the first card you can play of a type; each subsequent card must the same number or at most one larger. Once you play a 3 on a pile, cover that pile with a torii token as that pile is now closed for you. If you play different types, then after playing, each pair of adjacent topmost cards in your area; if both cards show an acorn on the adjacent corners, you take two acorn tokens from the reserve. Activate a objective token: Pay three acorn tokens to place an objective token in your player area. This activates the objective, and anyone might score for it at game's end. Once during a turn, you can discard two cards from your hand for one acorn token or spend an acorn to use a landscape power or do both of these actions. You can use each landscape power at most once during a game. When the leaf card deck is empty or after 4-6 leaf piles are closed with a torii token, the game ends. For each pile of leaves, you score points equal to the value of the topmost card multiplied by the number of cards in the pile. Remaining acorn tokens are worth 1 point each. For each activated objective, you see who best meets the condition and therefore scores points; if the player holding the token scores, they receive 10 points, whereas anyone else who scores that objective receives 3 points. Each player scores in case of a tie. The player with the most victory points at the end of the game wins.
Momiji supports 1–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Momiji is 30 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Momiji for ages 8 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Momiji has a complexity rating of 1.8 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Momiji belongs to these categories: Card Game and Number. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Set Collection. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Momiji are: Francesco Testini and Dario Massarenti. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Momiji as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.