Takenoko

About this board game

Takenoko is a board game for 2–4 players that takes about 45 minutes to play. Set at the Japanese Imperial court, it places players in charge of caring for a giant panda and tending the Emperor’s bamboo garden.

The panda was offered by the Chinese Emperor to the Japanese Emperor as a symbol of peace. Now, the court members must manage the difficult task of maintaining the garden while dealing with the animal’s considerable appetite for juicy, tender bamboo.

In Takenoko, players cultivate land plots, irrigate them, and grow bamboo with the help of the Imperial gardener. The garden features three bamboo species, each adding variety to the work of keeping the grounds productive and the panda fed.

• Cultivate land plots for the bamboo garden.
• Irrigate the plots and grow Green, Yellow, and Pink bamboo.
• Care for a hungry giant panda with an immoderate appetite.
• Manage the land and bamboo supply more successfully than the other players.

Every player must balance the needs of the garden with the delicate appetite of its most important resident. Growing bamboo is essential, but the panda will also consume the tender plants that the court members work to produce.

The player who manages their land plots best, grows the most bamboo, and keeps feeding the panda wins. With its peaceful Imperial setting, colorful bamboo garden, and hungry central character, Takenoko offers a focused tabletop challenge for groups of two to four.