Shugendo
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You turn the first card: bamboo, perfect. You turn the second: two yokai, but you don't stop. Third card: three more yokai. Seven in total. Busted. You lose your turn and watch the others play while you stare at the deck that betrayed you.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
Expand your farm in the forest of spirits
Shugendo is a Eurogame by Simone Luciani (Tzolk'in, Barrage, Newton) and Alessandro Cuneo, set in the Kemushi Saga, Devir's fantasy universe inspired by Studio Ghibli films. This shared world already hosts titles like Bitoku, Bamboo, and Silk, and Shugendo is set in an era where humans are beginning to develop agriculture but still coexist in communion with the forest spirits. The illustrations are by Jorge Monlongo.
At the table, you manage your personal deck of cards, revealing cards to activate main actions (explore, expand, develop) and recruit new settlers. But there's a risk: revealing too many yokai icons makes you bust, losing part of your turn. The game promises scenic presence and layered strategies. Each upgraded card makes your deck stronger but also more unstable.
What they say abroad
"The game has amazing table presence and layered strategies."
The game has an incredible scenic presence and layered strategies.
— Devir
Shugendo is one of those games that reveals itself slowly. Each game, you discover a new balance between greed and caution, between a fast deck and a heavy deck. It's a first read, of course, but the promise is clear: a push-your-luck with strategic substance.
— FroGames
Shugendo
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · first read: based on rules and official presentation, updated with first playsThe village elements
Four pillars of your expansion
Farm and settlers
Each settler card has powers and icons. Basic cards are weak; those from advanced eras bring strong resources and actions, but also more yokai.
The yokai
Forest spirits printed on the cards. Revealing 7 or more in a turn makes you bust: choose between action or recruitment, not both.
The influence tracks
Each revealed card moves your tracks. They are needed to unlock main actions (explore, expand, develop) and access subsequent eras.
Recruitment phase
After actions, you recruit new cards from unlocked eras. Each era has more powerful but riskier settlers: the deck grows in strength and volatility.
🎲How to PlayThe rules in four steps▼
How to Play
The flow of each round
Three phases per turn: reveal, act, recruit. Simple until you explode.
Flip cards from your deck one at a time. You can stop whenever you want, but if you reach 7+ yokai icons, you explode and lose part of your turn.
Use the accumulated meters from revealed cards to activate one of three main actions: explore new lands, expand communities, or develop your settlement. Each action grants victory points and unlocks better cards.
Receive bonuses based on revealed cards and recruit new cards from unlocked eras. Better cards have more power but also more yokai: each recruit makes the deck stronger and riskier.
All revealed cards go into the discard pile. When the deck runs out, shuffle and start over. The cycle continues until someone reaches the victory threshold.
⏱️Your First GameThe chronicle, moment by moment▼
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
The Starting Deck
Everyone starts with the same basic cards: farm, a few settlers, no dangerous yokai. The first reveals are calm, meters increase slowly, actions are small. No one explodes yet. But you're already peeking at the cards from the first eras available for recruitment.
The First Explosion
Someone trusts their deck too much and reveals one card too many. Seven yokai, an explosion, they can only take half a turn. The others laugh, but they know it will be their turn soon. Push-your-luck is unforgiving.
Asymmetrical Building
Mid-game: every deck is different. Some have focused on fast cards and many meters, others on heavy cards with huge bonuses. Some explode every two turns, while others play it safe. Eras unlock at different paces.
The Perfect Turn
You reveal six cards in a row without exploding. The meters skyrocket, you activate the main action, you recruit the top card of era 3. The deck has blessed you. The table watches in silence. You'll pay for it next round.
End of Game
Score counting: explored territories, built communities, influential settlers, final meters. Someone wins by a hair. Everyone looks at their final decks: decks bloated with powerful cards, with yokai, with lost and won bets.
🐸Before you startThree honest things, from friends▼
Before you start
Three honest things
Push-your-luck is not decorative
Each turn you decide whether to stop or risk it. Mess up the timing, explode, lose half a turn. It's not a light filler: the tension is real, the cost is high, and those who mismanage their deck fall behind.
It's a new game, without independent reviews
Shugendo releases in October 2026. Today, the only info comes from Devir and Essen previews. There are no in-depth editorial reviews yet from outlets like Shut Up & Sit Down or Dice Tower. This page will update when they arrive.
Medium learning curve
The rules are accessible (reveal-act-recruit), but optimizing the deck requires multiple plays. You need to understand when to recruit heavy cards, when to dilute the deck, when to unlock eras. You won't win on the first try.
🏆Victory and defeatWhat the ending rewards▼
How it ends
How to win and how to lose
Victory points from territories, communities, settlers, and influence. The one with the most wins.
Victory
- Expand your settlement beyond the forest borders (explore action)
- Build communities and attract influential settlers (expand action and strategic recruitment)
- Maximize your influence meters and activate development actions at the right time
Defeat
- Explode too often and others outpace you in victory points
- Recruit cards that are too weak or too risky, the deck becomes inefficient
- Fail to unlock advanced eras in time and are left with basic settlers while others dominate
Shugendo places push-your-luck within a heavy euro game. It's not a party game; it's a strategic gamble every turn. And in the end, the one who built the best deck without being devoured by the yokai wins.
💬Frequently Asked QuestionsQuick answers before checkout▼
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ about Shugendo
What mechanics does Shugendo use?
Deck-building (build your deck by recruiting cards) combined with push-your-luck (reveal cards until you decide to stop or explode). Each card has yokai icons: 7 or more in a turn makes you explode. Plus: resource management via influence meters, progressive era unlocking, and main actions (explore/expand/develop).
Is it suitable for those unfamiliar with Luciani's games?
Yes, Shugendo is classified as mid-weight, so it's more accessible than Barrage or Tzolk'in. The basic rules (reveal-act-recruit) are straightforward. However, it still requires experience with deck-building and resource management: it's not a gateway game.
How long does a game really last?
Devir states 50-60 minutes, which is credible for a mid-weight game with 2-4 players. The duration depends on the number of players and the speed of deck setup/cleanup. First game: add 15-20 minutes to explain eras and explosions.
Does push-your-luck ruin the strategy?
No, because you build the deck yourself. You can choose whether to recruit powerful cards with many yokai (high risk, high reward) or safe cards. Luck is present (the order of cards), but deck composition is a continuous strategic choice.
Is it available in Italian?
The edition sold on FroGames is in English. The rulebook and all cards with text are in English. No official Italian translations are currently available.
The people behind the game
Who invented it, who designed it, who publishes it — and what else they've done.
Shugendo is a strategic board game for 2-4 players, lasting 50-60 minutes, recommended for ages 14+. Designed by Simone Luciani and Alessandro Cuneo, published by Devir, it combines deck-building and push-your-luck: each turn you reveal cards from your personal deck to activate actions (explore, expand, develop) and recruit new settlers, but if you reveal 7 or more yokai icons, you explode and lose part of your turn. Set in the Kemushi Saga, Devir's shared fantasy universe (which includes Bitoku, Bamboo, Silk), the game mixes resource management, deck construction, and continuous tension. Available on FroGames.it.
Shugendo
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers you're looking for, no beating around the bush.
📸Do the images match the actual product?
The photos on the website often come from BoardGameGeek and are intended to give you an idea of the game. They may vary slightly from the version you receive. The content declared by the publisher is always binding.
📦Does the content of the box match what is indicated?
We always strive to provide the correct content, but minor variations are possible due to reprints or updates. The information comes directly from the publishers. If you have any questions, please contact us!
⏳How do pre-orders work?
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