
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,174
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Red Notice: A Million or Prison
- 2 players
- 20–40 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2026

Rules assistance for Niwashi: KAWA
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Niwashi: KAWA is an expansion for Niwashi released in 2026 for 2–4 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Baptiste Laurent and Gautier de Cottreau and its main mechanics are Tile Placement and Cooperative Game.
Kawa grows Niwashi to 2, 3, or 4 gardeners. Still cooperative, still wordless – the goal stays the same: complete as many objectives together as you can. Each gardener tends their own garden, separated by rivers and linked by a single bridge that shifts with every completed objective. You may only place a tile in your own garden – or wherever the bridge currently connects you. With more gardeners at the table, every glance and gesture becomes a puzzle: who's signaling whom, and whose garden is about to complete a pattern? In the two-player variant, a shared garden sits between you too – with its own objective, its own puzzle. —description from the publisher Mit Kawa wächst Niwashi auf 2, 3 oder 4 Gärtner:innen. Weiterhin kooperativ, weiterhin wortlos – das Ziel bleibt: gemeinsam so viele Aufträge wie möglich erfüllen. Jede:r hat einen eigenen Garten. Getrennt durch Flüsse, verbunden durch eine Brücke, die von Auftrag zu Auftrag wandert. Ein Plättchen legen darfst du nur im eigenen Garten – oder dort, wohin dich die Brücke gerade führt. Mit mehr Gärtner:innen am Tisch wird jeder Blick, jede Geste zum Rätsel: Wer meint wen? Und wessen Garten vervollständigt gleich ein Motiv? In der Zweier-Variante gibt es zusätzlich einen gemeinsamen Garten zwischen euch – mit eigenem Auftrag, eigenem Rätsel. —description from the publisher (German) Kawa fait évoluer « Niwashi » vers des parties à 2, 3 ou 4 jardiniers. Toujours coopératif, toujours sans paroles – l’objectif reste le même : accomplir ensemble autant de missions que possible. Chaque jardinier s’occupe de son propre jardin, séparés par des rivières et reliés par un seul pont qui se déplace à chaque mission accomplie. Vous ne pouvez placer une tuile que dans votre propre jardin – ou à l’endroit où le pont vous relie actuellement. Avec davantage de jardiniers autour de la table, chaque regard et chaque geste devient une énigme : qui fait signe à qui, et quel jardin est sur le point de compléter un motif ? Dans la variante à deux joueurs, un jardin commun se trouve également entre vous – avec son propre objectif, sa propre énigme. —description from the publisher (French)
Niwashi: KAWA supports 2–4 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 Niwashi: KAWA is 20 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 Niwashi: KAWA 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.
Niwashi: KAWA belongs to these categories: Card Game, Puzzle, and Farming. Its main mechanics are Tile Placement and Cooperative Game. 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 Niwashi: KAWA are: Baptiste Laurent and Gautier de Cottreau. 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 Niwashi: KAWA as an expansion for Niwashi. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Niwashi to use it. Check that your edition of Niwashi is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.