Let's Go! To Japan
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You have seven days, a limited budget, and an endless list of things to see. Each card is a choice that will cut out ten others. In the end, you'll realize that one trip to Japan is never enough.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
Plan your perfect trip to Japan, card by card
Josh Wood (The Captain Is Dead, Hocus) brings the experience of travel planning to the table. Let's Go! To Japan is illustrated by a team of Japanese and international artists — Chaykov, Kailene Falls, Toshiyuki Hara, Magdalena Pruckner and Erica Ward — who depict Tokyo and Kyoto in their most iconic details: temples, ramen, cats, sakura. Published in 2024, it is already available on Board Game Arena.
You draw 160 activity cards, choose what to put in each day's itinerary, and try to make everything work: money, travel, photos, souvenirs. The cards have multiple uses and interlock. In the end, you activate the entire itinerary in sequence and see how much you've collected. It's a logistical puzzle with the soul of real travel: what you leave out matters more than what you choose.
What they say abroad
"Let's Go! To Japan captures the anxiety and joy of trip planning in under an hour."
Let's Go! To Japan captures the anxiety and joy of trip planning in under an hour.
— Meeple Mountain
A game that makes you feel Japan — not just see it — through choices that weigh like real ones. Every discarded card is a regret you take home with you.
— FroGames
Let's Go! To Japan
The game includes official solo rules with an AI deck that competes with you in the draft. The experience is complete: optimization remains intact, you only lose the thrill of stealing a card from under your friends' noses.
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, international reviews and play sessionsYour itinerary
What to pack (and what to leave behind)
Ramen in Kyoto
Food cards give you points and fill lunch/dinner slots. But each slot can only hold one card, and good ramen is expensive.
Fushimi Inari
Iconic attractions give points and satisfy set collection goals. But traveling between Tokyo and Kyoto burns precious resources.
Souvenir photo
Some cards give you photo tokens to spend to activate other cards. It's a mini internal economy that you need to manage well.
Souvenirs and objectives
Collecting themed card sets (temples, cats, sakura) gives huge bonuses. But each set requires advance planning and itinerary space.
Recommended sleeves 160 cards in 1 size ▼
If you play often, we recommend protecting the cards with transparent sleeves to make them last longer.
| Size | Quantity |
|---|---|
| 70 × 120 mm | 160 |
| Total cards | 160 |
Video a scopo dimostrativo, per mostrare il gameplay.
🎲How to playThe rules in four steps▼
How to play
The flow of each round
Thirteen draft rounds, then one activation round. Simultaneous, fluid, immediate.
Each player draws cards, chooses one card to keep and places it in their itinerary (one of the seven days), passes the rest to their neighbor. Simultaneous.
Some cards give you money, photos, movements. Others cost you. Keep track of everything: in the end you must be able to activate every card you've placed in your itinerary.
Cards belong to categories (temples, food, nature, shopping). Collecting complete sets gives huge bonuses at the end of the game. But they occupy valuable slots.
After 13 draft rounds, you activate your itinerary day by day. Each card resolves: you pay the costs, take the benefits, activate combos. Then you count the points. The one who optimized best wins.
⏱️Your first gameThe chronicle, moment by moment▼
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
Daydreaming
You draw your initial hand and see Tokyo Tower, an onsen, a manga shop. Everything seems possible. Then you look at the money you have and realize you'll have to choose. The table is silent: everyone is already building their trip in their head.
The first cut
First draft: you choose a card, pass the rest. Someone takes your favorite ramen. You take a temple that's worth little but opens a set. You immediately understand that every card you let go is a significant sacrifice.
Puzzle under construction
Mid-game: the itinerary takes shape, but it's a Tetris. You have three full days and four empty ones. Multi-use cards tempt you: use them for money or for points? The tension isn't against others, it's against yourself.
The last draft
Last round of cards. You see a perfect combo pass by, but you have no more free slots. Someone curses under their breath. Someone else smiles: they completed a 15-point set. You reread your itinerary and hope you made the right choices.
The real journey
Final round: you activate all cards in order, day by day, as if you were actually making the trip. Combos trigger, points increase, some cards don't work as you thought. In the end, you count everything and understand who planned better. But everyone leaves with regret for what they left out.
🐸Good to know beforehandThree honest things, from friends▼
Good to know beforehand
Three honest things
It's a puzzle, not an adventure
If you're looking for narrative or immersion, this isn't the right game. Let's Go! To Japan is pure optimization: combos, set collection, resource management. The theme is beautiful but it remains a skin over an abstract engine.
Minimal interaction
The only direct interaction is in the draft: you pick before others. Otherwise, everyone builds their itinerary in parallel. If you like games where you ruin other people's plans, this will bore you.
Requires attention to detail
Cards have three different uses (activation, discard for resources, placement for sets). Confusing them or forgetting a cost can ruin your itinerary. This is not a game to play distracted or tired.
🏆Victory and defeatWhat the ending rewards▼
How it ends
How to win
After the final activation round, you count the points. Whoever has the most wins.
Victory
- Points from activated cards (each attraction, food, experience has a value)
- Bonuses from completed sets (temples, cats, sakura, shopping, etc.)
- Points from personal and public objectives completed during the trip
Costly mistakes
- Placed cards you can't activate (you don't have money, photos, or movements to pay for them)
- Sets started and never completed (they occupy slots without giving bonuses)
- Wasted resources: accumulating money or photos you don't use makes you lose potential points
Let's Go! To Japan is the management game that makes you dream of Japan while optimizing combos. It's not for those looking for chaos or interaction: it's for those who love elegant puzzles with beautiful artwork.
💬Frequently asked questionsQuick answers before checkout▼
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Let's Go! To Japan
What mechanics does Let's Go! To Japan use?
Simultaneous drafting (card drafting), hand management, set collection, multi-use cards, contracts/objectives. The structure is two-phased: 13 itinerary building rounds + 1 sequential activation round.
Is it suitable for those unfamiliar with Japan?
Yes. The theme is evocative, and the illustrations speak for themselves. You don't need to know Tokyo or Kyoto to play: the game guides you with clear icons and intuitive categories. It's more of a puzzle than a tourist simulation.
Does it work well solo?
Yes, it has official solo rules with an AI deck that simulates an opponent in the draft. The optimization remains intact; you only lose social interaction. Ideal for those who love management games to play on their lunch break.
How much does luck weigh in the draft?
Less than it seems. You draw many cards and see many pass by: the variance levels out. If you lose, it's because you optimized poorly, not because you drew badly. Luck is there, but it accounts for perhaps 20% of the result.
Is it available in Italian?
Yes, this is the Italian edition from Studio Supernova. Cards, rulebook, and all texts are translated. The illustrations remain the originals by Japanese and international artists.
The people behind the game
Who invented it, who designed it, who publishes it — and what else they've done.
Let's Go! To Japan is a strategy game for 1-4 players, lasting 45-60 minutes, recommended for ages 10+. Designed by Josh Wood and illustrated by Japanese artists, it brings the tourist travel experience in Japan to the table through simultaneous drafting, resource management, and set collection. The 160 activity cards represent attractions in Tokyo and Kyoto (temples, ramen, onsen, cats, sakura) with multiple uses. The structure is two-phased: 13 itinerary building rounds + 1 final sequential activation round. Includes rules for solo play. Italian edition published by Studio Supernova. Available on FroGames.it
Let's Go! To Japan
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers you're looking for, no beating around the bush.
📸Do the images match the actual product?
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📦Does the content of the box match what is indicated?
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