ナナイロアジサイ (Ajisai)
ナナイロアジサイ (Ajisai) Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Components
- 98 flower pieces ([13 pieces + 1 spare piece] x 7 colors)
- 1 game board
- 6 player cards (front and back)
- This rulebook
Setup
First, place the game board on the table. The gray and brown flower marks ("Mark(s)") on the game board indicate the spaces to place flower pieces.
Adjacent Marks are connected by a line. However, note that brown Marks are not connected to each other by a line, so they are not adjacent.
Place a white flower piece ("White Piece") on the Mark in the center and place the remaining White pieces collectively next to the game board.
Then the players each receive a player card and place it face down in front of themselves. (All cards have the same figure on the back. You may choose any of them.)
Color Assignment
Assign colors to players according to the number of players.
Keep all 13 flower pieces of each color assigned to you in front of you (as your stock).
- For 2 players: Player A: Red, Yellow, Purple. Player B: Orange, Blue, Pink.
- For 3 players: Player A: Red, Blue. Player B: Orange, Purple. Player C: Yellow, Pink. Assign colors COUNTERCLOCKWISE.
Determining the Start Player
The person who has most recently seen an Ajisai flower is the start player. Otherwise, determine the start player by rock-paper-scissors or in whatever way you like.
Determining the Winner
The game is over when all Marks on the game board are filled. Count the flower pieces of each color on the game board. The player who has placed the most flower pieces of one color (excluding White) wins.
In the case of a tie, the tied player who is earlier in turn order wins.
Note: In the example figure, Player A loses despite having placed more flower pieces. You cannot win by placing flower pieces of various colors, because the winner is the player with "the most flowers of one color". In the example, the color with the most flower pieces is "pink" (13 pieces), so Player B wins.
How to Play
Take turns in clockwise order from the start player. In your turn, perform "Blooming" (place a flower piece on the game board) at first. Then resolve the "Color Transition" effect (change the color of flowers on the game board). *Color Transition may not happen in some cases. After completing the 2 actions, the turn goes to the next player clockwise.
I: Blooming
Place one flower piece of any of your colors on an empty Mark. In Blooming, place a flower piece either to make Color Transition happen or place it next to a White piece.
You can place up to 13 flower pieces of each color. You cannot place a flower piece of a color that you do not have. If you cannot place a flower piece of any color, pass the turn to the next player.
II: Color Transition
As a result of Blooming, the existing flower pieces on the game board change their colors in accordance with undermentioned rules. Replace the existing flower pieces subject to change with "changed" flower pieces, then return the removed flower pieces to their owners' stock.
However, if "changed" flower pieces run out from its stock, substitute the lacking pieces with White pieces. The White pieces can be placed in any of the Marks where you place the "changed" pieces. (If White pieces also run out, end the game and determine the winner immediately as an exception.)
Rules Regarding Color Transition of Flowers (excl. White Pieces)
(1) Change the color of flower piece(s) sandwiched in line between 2 flower pieces of the same color.
Example: If a Red flower piece blooms and it results in a Blue and Purple flowers sandwiched between 2 Red flowers, replace the sandwiched flower pieces with Red flower pieces.
(2) If a flower blooms next to flower piece(s) of a certain color, the color of the existing flower piece(s) changes.
When a flower blooms, its adjacent flower pieces of a certain color change their color in clockwise order as shown in the color-ring diagram. For example, if an Orange flower blooms next to Red flower(s), the Red flower(s) turn into Orange flower(s). All adjoining Red flower pieces turn into Orange flower pieces.
Both (1) and (2) are applied simultaneously. Note that the flowers that have changed their color do not change their color again in the same turn.
Rules Regarding Color Transition of White Pieces
White pieces do not change their color by a flower of any color blooming next to them, as in (2). White pieces change their color only when they are sandwiched between 2 flower pieces of the same color, as in (1).
Example: An Orange flower blooms next to a White piece, but the White piece does not change its color. Another Orange flower blooms, sandwiching the White piece with the first Orange flower. Now, the White piece turns Orange.
Color Transition does not occur when you must bloom the first flower next to the White piece in the center of the game board.
Optional Rules #1 (Smaller Board)
The game board has gray and brown Marks on it. The basic rules use both gray and brown Marks, but Optional Rules #1 only use gray Marks (hexagonal area as shown in the diagram). With fewer Marks, you can play a shorter game.
This smaller board has a different type of edge, which will influence your strategy. Note the differences on how you could win the edges and how advantageous they are.
Optional Rules #2 (Hidden Traitor)
Only for 2 players.
The winner is determined by counting only the flower pieces of one of the colors of each player. Do not reveal which color you selected during the game. The following points differ from the basic rules.
Setup
After your colors are assigned to you, receive all of your 3 player cards with the colors indicated on the front.
Choose one of the three cards and put it face down in front of you. Then return the unchosen cards face down to the box without showing them to your opponent.
Determining the Winner
Only the flower pieces of your chosen color count as your victory points.
At the end of the game, the players each reveal their player card to show their selected color. Count the flower pieces of the selected colors on the game board, and the player who has placed more flower pieces of their selected color wins.
Example: In the figure, only 5 Purple and 6 Orange pieces are counted to determine the winner, so Player B wins.
Except for these rules, the game procedure is the same as the standard rules.
Ajisai Trivia
Colors of Ajisai
It is said that Ajisai turns red if the soil is alkaline and turns blue if the soil is acidic.
Furthermore, Ajisai flowers change their colors during their blooming period. For example, many Ajisai flowers are white in the beginning, turn into their type-specific colors, then eventually turn into red or purple. Due to this, Ajisai flowers are also called "Shichi-henge" (meaning various changes in Japanese).
The changeability of Ajisai flowers' colors has also made it a symbol of "Utsurigi/Uwaki" (Inconstancy) in the language of flowers as such color transition is reminiscent of fickleness.
History of Ajisai
Ajisai hydrangea is originally native to Japan, but at the end of the Edo period, Japanese hydrangea flowers were sent to Europe, where they were bred and improved.
Today, most of the horticultural varieties of hydrangea are reimported from Europe. Nowadays, hydrangea flowers are loved all over the world.
Caution
- Take care so that children will not swallow the small components by accident.
- Do not leave the game in a hot/humid place. There is a risk of deformation/deterioration.
- Keep away from fire. It may cause fire or deformation.