Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Step1
Connect the appropriate number of Islands for the number of players you have (2 to 4). Each player should have a colored screen, and the matching hex pieces. Players each choose 5 of their own hex pieces to start with behind their screens and the rest of their hex pieces are shuffled face down and placed to the side of their screens.
Step2
Place one of each resource on Edo, and then players take turns placing one resource on any of the major cities, until each major city holds two resources. No city may hold two of the same resource. Players then take turns placing a resource on each minor city, until every city has a resource.
Step3
Game play now begins. The first player plays a hex tile in any land space on the board, giving that player influence over the noted type of resource in any adjacent city. The exception to this rule is that ship pieces may only be played on water, not land. Samurai and ships both give influence over all three types of resource.
Step4
Ships and the Ronin piece have a kanji on them, indicating that they can be played in addition to a regular piece on one turn. There are also two "swap" pieces, one which lets you move any previously played piece of yours to any open space, and one which lets you swap any two resources on the board, so long as this does not put two of the same resource in one city.
Step5
When all land spaces surrounding a city have been filled, whoever has the most influence over each type of resource gains that resource. If there is a tie for influence, the resource is destroyed and removed from the board.
Step6
The game ends when one type of resource is completely removed from the board, or when any four resources have been destroyed due to ties. The player with the most majorities wins, but if each player has only one majority, then whoever has the most pieces outside of his majority wins.
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