Oshi

About this board game

Oshi is a two-player board game with a playing time of about 20 minutes, released in 2006. Inspired by a Japanese legend, it challenges players to temper influence and power with caution.

The goal is to be the first player to push seven points worth of the opponent’s pieces off the board. Every piece is shaped like a Japanese building with one, two, or three stories, making its height central to the game’s system.

A building’s number of stories determines three important values: how many spaces it can move, the maximum number of other pieces it can push, and how many points it is worth when pushed off the board. Pieces move side to side and forward and backward, creating a direct contest over positioning and pressure.

• For two players
• Approximately 20 minutes of play
• Eight oxblood red pieces and eight ivory white pieces
• Pieces representing one-, two-, and three-story Japanese buildings
• A board and complete rules included

Because stronger, taller buildings are also worth more points, pushing an opponent’s piece away can bring you closer to victory while changing the balance on the board. At the same time, the story behind Oshi emphasizes restraint: power must be used carefully rather than without caution.

With its compact play time and clearly defined building values, Oshi presents an accessible head-to-head challenge built around movement, pushing, and calculated influence.