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- BGG rating
- 6.3
Rolling America
- 1–99 players
- 15 min
- Complexity 1.6/5
- 2015
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- BGG #7,681
- BGG rating
- 6.3
Rolling Japan
2014
Rules assistance for Rolling Japan
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–99 players
- 15 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.5/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Rolling Japan
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Rolling Japan is a board game released in 2014 for 1–99 players, 15 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Hisashi Hayashi and its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and Paper-and-Pencil.
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About the game
Rolling Japan is a light "multiplayer solitaire" dice game. Each player has a map of Japan that's divided into the 47 prefectures, which are then bunched together into six differently colored areas. On a turn, a player draws two regular six-sided dice from a bag and rolls them; the bag starts with seven dice, six matching the colors of the areas on the map along with a wild purple die. All players now write down each number rolled on any prefecture of the matching color, i.e., if the blue die shows 4 and the yellow a 2, write a 4 in one blue prefecture and a 2 in one yellow prefecture. If the purple die is rolled, you can place this number in a prefecture of your choice; additionally, three times per game you can choose to use a non-purple die as any color. However, neighboring prefectures — including those in different areas connected by blue lines — can't have numbers with a difference larger than 1; if you can't place a number without breaking this rule, then you must place an X in a prefecture of the appropriate color. (If all the prefectures in an area are filled, you can ignore the die or use one of your three color changes to place the number elsewhere.) After six dice have been rolled, mark one round as being complete, then return the dice to the bag and start the next round. After eight rounds the game ends, and whoever has the fewest Xs on her map wins.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Japon Brand
- OKAZU Brand
Questions and answers
Rolling Japan supports 1–99 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 Rolling Japan is 15 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 Rolling Japan 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.
Rolling Japan has a complexity rating of 1.5 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.
Rolling Japan belongs to these categories: Number, Dice, and Puzzle. Its main mechanics are Dice Rolling and Paper-and-Pencil. 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 Rolling Japan are: Hisashi Hayashi. 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 Rolling Japan 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.