Shikoku

About this board game

Shikoku is a 2018 board game for 3–8 players, played in about 40 minutes, in which pilgrims climb 33 steps toward a pagoda while seeking the Middle Path.

Inspired by Shikoku’s famous pilgrimage of 88 Buddhist temples, the game places players in the roles of pilgrims heading toward temple 23, Yakuōji. Each round, players sing mantras through their card plays, move up the steps, and adjust the order that determines who acts first next.

Following the turn order of the mantra line, every player places one card from their hand in the mantra area alongside their pilgrim. Once all cards have been played, pilgrims advance according to their cards. However, the pilgrims whose cards are second from the left and second from the right do not move, while the others climb as many steps as their cards indicate.

• Play one card into the mantra area alongside your pilgrim.
• Move pilgrims according to their card positions and values.
• Move the lowest-value mantra card from the front of the line to the back.
• Refresh hands and establish the next round’s turn order.

The last player in the mantra line receives a new mantra card. In turn order, the other players choose from the cards played during the previous round so they have three cards in hand.

When one or more pilgrims reach the pagoda on square 33, the game ends after that round’s movement. In Shikoku, reaching the top first is not the goal: the winner, or winners, are the player or players second from the top and second from the bottom. Timing, card values, and position all matter as you pursue a place in the middle.