Takenoko

2011

Experience the charm of the Japanese Imperial court in Takenoko! Cultivate lands, grow bamboo, and satisfy the appetite of a giant panda in this strategic board game.

45
minutes

2 - 4
player(s)

Medium Light

About the game

Welcome to the enchanting world of Takenoko, a beautifully designed board game that blends strategy, fun, and a captivating theme. Set in the lush emperor’s garden in Japan, you are tasked with taking care of the emperor’s precious panda by cultivating land plots, growing bamboo, and ensuring the panda’s appetite is satisfied.

The unique charm of Takenoko lies in its intriguing theme and setting. The game transports you to ancient Japan, where you must balance the delicate ecosystem of a bamboo garden. The vibrant illustrations and beautifully crafted game pieces further enhance the immersive experience, making each game a visual delight.

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Takenoko is a delightful board game with an array of components that work together to facilitate gameplay. These components include:

1 Game Board: This is the main platform where players place other components. It represents the bamboo garden in which the game takes place.
28 Plot Tiles: These hexagonal tiles come in three different colors (green, yellow, and pink) representing three different types of bamboo. Players place them on the game board to expand the garden.
90 Bamboo Sections: These are small, cylindrical pieces, also in green, yellow, and pink, representing the bamboo growing on the plot tiles. Their growth is influenced by players’ actions and weather conditions.
20 Irrigation Channels: These small, blue pieces represent water supply to the plots. Players use them to irrigate the plot tiles, enabling bamboo growth.
55 Objective Cards: These cards display different objectives for players to achieve. They come in three categories: plot objectives (garden shaping), gardener objectives (bamboo cultivation), and panda objectives (bamboo consumption).
9 Improvements: These tokens represent three types of improvements: enclosures, fertilizers, and watersheds. Players can add these to plot tiles for varied effects.
4 Individual Player Boards: Each player uses one board to keep track of their actions, objectives, and improvements.
8 Action Chips: These are used on the individual player boards to track the actions chosen each turn.
1 Weather Die: This is rolled at the beginning of each turn, and the result influences that turn’s actions.
1 Panda Figurine: This represents the panda in the game, which moves around the garden eating bamboo.
1 Gardener Figurine: This represents the gardener who moves around the garden planting and growing bamboo.

Through these components, players aim to achieve the most objectives while managing the bamboo garden, the hungry panda, and the hardworking gardener.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

Takenoko is a strategic board game where players cultivate land plots, irrigate them, and grow one of the three species of bamboo (Green, Yellow, or Pink) with the help of the Imperial gardener. The player who manages his land plots best, grows the most bamboo, and feeds the delicate appetite of the panda will win the game.

Follow these steps to set up the game:

Board Placement: Begin by placing the pond tile in the center of the play area. This tile is the starting point of your bamboo garden.
Player Roles: Each player chooses a color and takes the corresponding action chips, along with a player board of the same color. The player who last watered a plant goes first.
Initial Resources: Each player starts with a single irrigation channel, and draws a card from each of the three objective decks (plot, gardener, and panda).
Land Plots: Shuffle the land plot tiles and place them in a stack. Draw the top five tiles and place them face up for players to choose from during their turn.
Bamboo Sections: Sort the bamboo sections by colour and place them in piles next to the game board. These will be used to grow bamboo on the irrigated land plots.
Panda and Gardener Figures: Place the panda and gardener figures on the pond tile.
Weather Die: The weather die is only used in the full game. If you are playing the beginner game, return it to the box.
Objective Cards: Shuffle each of the three decks of objective cards separately (panda objectives, plot objectives, and gardener objectives) and place them face down near the play area. These cards will give players their goals for the game.

With the setup complete, you are now ready to start playing Takenoko! Remember, the game is won by the player who first completes a predetermined number of objectives (depending on the number of players) and triggers the game end.

Game flow Round and round we go

Takenoko is a popular board game that involves strategic planning, resource management, and a healthy dose of luck. The game is played over a series of rounds, with each player taking turns to perform various actions. Here is a detailed breakdown of the game’s structure and the actions players can perform during each stage.

Game Setup

At the start of the game, each player receives a player board, two action chips, and one objective card of each type (Plot, Gardener, and Panda). The irrigation channels, bamboo sections, and remaining objective cards are placed nearby in separate piles. The central board starts with one pond tile and one gardener and panda figure each.

Round Structure

Each round in Takenoko is divided into two phases: the weather phase and the action phase.

Weather Phase: The active player rolls the weather die and applies its effect. The effects can vary from taking an additional action, growing bamboo on a plot, moving the panda or gardener, or getting an irrigation channel.

Action Phase: The active player chooses two different actions to perform. They can choose from the following:

Plot Action: The player draws three plot tiles from the stack and chooses one to add to the garden. The remaining tiles are placed at the bottom of the stack.
Irrigation Action: The player takes an irrigation channel from the reserve and may choose to place it immediately or keep it for later use.
Gardener Action: The player moves the gardener in a straight line across the garden. Every plot the gardener passes through or lands on that matches the gardener’s plot color will grow a bamboo section.
Panda Action: The player moves the panda in a straight line across the garden. The plot the panda lands on loses a bamboo section, which the player adds to their board.
Objective Action: The player draws an objective card from one of the three decks.

Objective Completion

At any point during their turn, a player may complete an objective by matching the requirements on their objective card. Completed objectives are placed face up on the table and cannot be taken by other players. The game ends when a player completes a pre-determined number of objectives, triggering the final round. The player with the highest total points from their completed objectives is declared the winner.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

The game of ‘Takenoko’ is a strategic board game where players tend to a bamboo garden under the watchful eye of the emperor. During a player’s turn, they can take a variety of actions to interact with the board and gain points. The player’s turn consists of the following phases:

1. Weather Conditions:

The player rolls the weather die to determine the weather conditions for the turn. Each weather condition provides a unique advantage:

Sun: The player can perform three actions instead of two on their turn.
Rain: The player can grow a bamboo section on any irrigated plot.
Wind: The player can perform the same action twice in a turn, which is not usually allowed.
Storm: The player can move the panda anywhere on the board to eat a bamboo section.
Clouds: The player can take an improvement chip (fertilizer, enclosure, or watershed) from the reserve.
Question Mark: The player can choose the weather condition they want for the turn.

2. Player Actions:

The player can perform two different actions from the following list. However, if the Wind weather condition was rolled, they can perform the same action twice:

Plot Action: The player draws three plot tiles from the stack, chooses one to place on the board, and returns the remaining two to the bottom of the stack. The new plot must be adjacent to at least one other plot and can potentially grow bamboo if it’s irrigated.
Irrigation Channel Action: The player takes an irrigation channel from the reserve. The player can choose to place it immediately or keep it for later use. Placing it next to a plot allows bamboo to grow.
Gardener Action: The player moves the gardener in a straight line in any direction. The gardener grows bamboo on the plot he lands on and any adjacent plots of the same color, provided they are irrigated.
Panda Action: The player moves the panda in a straight line in any direction. The panda eats a bamboo section from the plot he lands on, and the player keeps this section.
Objective Card Action: The player draws a card from any of the three objective card stacks (plot, gardener, or panda). These cards provide different objectives that, when completed, grant the player points.

3. End of Turn:

The player’s turn ends after they have performed their actions. The game continues with the next player in a clockwise direction. Players should aim to complete their objectives while strategically managing the bamboo garden to gain the most points.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

Takenoko is a strategic board game where players take on the roles of court members of the Japanese Emperor. They take care of his Giant Panda by growing a bamboo plantation. The game ends when a player completes a predetermined number of objectives, after which all players finish the current round so that everybody has played the same number of turns.

The number of objectives required to trigger the end of the game depends on the number of players:

For two players: nine objectives
For three players: eight objectives
For four players: seven objectives

Once a player completes the necessary number of objectives, they will take the Emperor’s card, which is worth two bonus points at the end of the game.

The game of Takenoko can be won through three types of objectives:

Panda Objectives: These involve eating specific amounts and colors of bamboo with the panda. The player must move the panda to a plot with bamboo of the required color and eat one section.
Gardener Objectives: These involve growing specific arrangements of bamboo on the plots. The player must move the gardener to a plot to grow bamboo there.
Plot Objectives: These involve arranging the plots in a particular pattern. The player will need to draw and place plot tiles in the required configuration.

After the final round of turns, players total up their points from completed objectives and the Emperor’s card. The player with the most points is declared the winner. In the event of a tie, the player with the most completed objectives wins. If there is still a tie, the player with the most points from plot objectives is the winner.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

The scoring system in ‘Takenoko’ revolves around the completion of objective cards. There are three types of objective cards: Gardener, Plot, and Panda. Each type of card has different criteria for completion and rewards a varying amount of points.

Gardener Objectives:

Gardener objectives are completed when the player grows the specified number and type of bamboo sections on plots of the same color. The points awarded are indicated on the card.

Plot Objectives:

Plot objectives are completed when the player arranges the same color plots in the pattern shown on the card. Each card has a unique pattern and the points awarded are indicated on the card.

Panda Objectives:

Panda objectives are completed when the player gets the Panda to eat the specified number and color of bamboo sections. The points awarded are indicated on the card.

Emperor’s Favor:

The player who first completes their seventh objective card (in a two-player game) or their ninth (in a three or four-player game) receives the Emperor’s favor, which is worth 2 extra points.

End of the Game:

The game ends when a player completes a certain number of objective cards: seven in a two-player game, eight in a three-player game, and nine in a four-player game. After this, each player, including the one who ended the game, has one final turn.

Final Scoring:

At the end of the game, players add up the points from their completed objective cards and the Emperor’s favor, if they have it. The player with the most points wins.

Tie-Breaker:

In the event of a tie, the player with the most completed objective cards wins. If there is still a tie, the player who has the Emperor’s favor wins. If there is still a tie, the victory is shared.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

Takenoko is a fun and engaging board game, but like any other game, there are special rules and exceptions that players should be aware of. Here are some of those special rules:

1. Irrigation Channels:

Placement: You can place an irrigation channel on any space between two plots, even if one or both plots are not irrigated.
Immediate Effects: As soon as an irrigation channel is placed, all plots adjacent to it that are not already irrigated become irrigated immediately.

2. Gardener Action:

Adjacent Plots: When the Gardener moves and lands on a plot, that plot and all adjacent plots of the same color grow bamboo.
Bamboo Limit: A plot with a gardener on it can grow bamboo up to a maximum height of 4 sections.

3. Panda Action:

Bamboo Eating: The Panda can eat a section of bamboo from the plot it lands on. It cannot eat from an adjacent plot.
Bamboo Storing: The bamboo eaten by the Panda is stored on the player’s individual board and can be used to complete objectives.

4. Weather Die:

Rolling the Die: At the start of each player’s turn, they roll the weather die to determine the weather conditions for that turn. The weather conditions can have various effects on the gameplay.
Effects: The effects of the weather die include: sun (extra action), rain (grow bamboo), wind (perform the same action twice), storm (move panda), cloud (take improvement), and question mark (choose your weather).

5. Objective Cards:

Completing Objectives: Players complete objectives by meeting the conditions shown on their objective cards. Once an objective is completed, the card is revealed, and the player scores the points shown on the card.
End of Game: The game ends when a player has completed a predetermined number of objectives. The player who has the most points at the end of the game wins.

6. Improvements:

Adding Improvements: Players can add improvements to plots by taking the gardener action and choosing the improvement they want to add.
Effects of Improvements: Improvements can protect bamboo from being eaten by the panda, cause bamboo to grow faster, or make plots self-irrigated.

Understanding these special rules and exceptions can greatly enhance your gameplay and strategy in Takenoko.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

1. Advanced Strategies:

Control the Weather Die: The Weather Die is a powerful tool in Takenoko. You can control the Weather Die to control the game. Always try to roll the sun to get an extra action, or the rain to grow bamboo where you need it.
Focus on Card Objectives: Try to complete as many objectives as possible. The more objectives you achieve, the more points you earn. Therefore, concentrate on the cards that are within your grasp and align with your current board situation.
Master the Gardener: The Gardener can be a game-changer. Use the Gardener to shape the bamboo on the board to your advantage, and remember that the Gardener can grow bamboo on all matching colored plots.

2. Beginner Tips:

Understand the Game Rules: Before starting, ensure you understand the game’s rules. This includes knowing how to score points, what actions are available, and how to use the characters effectively.
Start with Farmer Objectives: For beginners, it’s easier to start with farmer objectives, as they are the easiest to complete. You can then move on to the more complex objectives as you get more comfortable with the game.
Be Flexible: Conditions on the board change rapidly. Therefore, be flexible with your strategies and be ready to adapt your game plan based on the current game state.

3. Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Ignoring the Panda: Many players tend to focus on the Gardener and ignore the Panda. The Panda is crucial in Takenoko as it helps you achieve bamboo eating objectives, which can be a significant source of points.
Not Balancing Objectives: It’s easy to focus on one type of objective. However, balancing your objectives across Gardener, Panda, and Plot cards can yield better results and more points.
Not Using the Weather Die Effectively: The Weather Die can significantly impact the game. Not using it effectively or ignoring its benefits can be a big mistake.

4. Ways to Optimize Gameplay:

Take Advantage of the Weather Die: The Weather Die can provide various benefits, from extra actions to growing bamboo. Use it wisely to gain an advantage over your opponents.
Plan Your Actions: Plan your actions based on your objectives and the current board state. This will help you optimize your turns and complete your objectives more efficiently.
Use the Emperor’s Favor: The Emperor’s Favor provides an extra action, which can be very powerful. Use it to complete objectives faster or disrupt your opponents’ plans.