Tokaido

To set up the game, each player receives two random traveler tiles and chooses one to keep, placing their color token on it. Players also receive the amount of yen indicated on their chosen traveler tile. All traveler pieces are placed at the start of the board, and all traveling point markers are set to zero. In a two-player game, a neutral player token is also used, but for this video, only two players are shown.

The main objective of Tokaido is to have the richest and most fulfilling experience along the historic route between Kyoto and Edo. This is achieved by collecting the most experience points through various actions and acquisitions during the journey.

On a player's turn, they can move their traveler piece forward to any available space on the board. Players cannot move backward. A key rule is that the player whose traveler piece is currently in the last position on the board always takes the next turn, allowing for strategic choices in movement and space selection.

Players gain experience points throughout the game by landing on different spaces and collecting various cards. For example, donating yen at a temple gives one experience point per coin. Hot springs give two or three experience points. Souvenirs are collected and can be worth 1, 3, 5, or 7 experience points depending on how they are grouped. Panorama cards are collected in numerical order, and the first player to complete each panorama scene gets an achievement card worth additional points. Achievement cards are also awarded at the end of the game to players who have the most of each card type (e.g., encounters, food, hot springs, panoramas).

The game concludes when the last player reaches the final inn on the board. After all players have reached the final inn and completed their actions, the final scores are calculated by totaling all experience points from collected cards and adding any achievement bonus cards.