Overview

In Kanagawa, players are disciples of the master Hokusai, learning to paint at his school in the great bay of Tokyo (1840). Each round, Lesson cards are dealt to a school board; players choose to wait for more cards or take a column of cards to expand their Studio (abilities) and Print (painting). The goal is to collect the most Harmony symbols by painting subjects, mastering seasons, and earning Diplomas.

Components

• 72 Lesson cards (18 each in 4 colors: green/Trees, red/Characters, yellow/Buildings, blue/Animals)
• 19 Diploma tiles
• 3 Storm tokens (wild Season)
• 15 Brush pawns
• 1 School board
• 4 Starting tiles
• 1 Grand Master pawn
• 1 Assistant pawn

Setup

1. Choose a first player; they take the Grand Master and Assistant pawns.
2. Place the School board in the center.
3. Shuffle all 72 Lesson cards face-down as a deck next to the board.
4. Sort Diploma tiles by color, face-up above the School board in two rows (top: Print Diplomas, bottom: Studio Diplomas), sorted by Harmony value.
5. Randomly distribute Starting tiles. Each player places 2 Brush pawns in front of themselves.

Turn Structure

Each round has 3 steps:

1. Follow the Teachings of the Master

The first player (Grand Master) draws Lesson cards equal to the number of players and places them on the first row of the School board (face-up or face-down per board instructions).

2. Broaden Your Knowledge or Put It Into Practice

Starting with the first player, clockwise, each player chooses:

Broaden Your Knowledge (Wait): Pass your turn; don’t take cards yet. Wait for more cards to be added next step. Risk: others may take desired cards first. Note: The last player still at school MUST put knowledge into practice.

Put It Into Practice (Take Cards): Leave the school and:

1. Choose one column of Lesson cards from the School and take ALL cards in it.
2. Add each card to your Studio (left side) and/or Print (right side).
3. Claim any earned Diploma(s).

If all players wait, a new row of cards is dealt (up to 3 rows maximum). If a third row is dealt and no one has taken cards, all remaining players must take cards.

3. New Lesson

After all players have taken cards, begin a new round with step 1.

Actions

Improving Your Studio

Turn a Lesson card to show the Studio side and place under your Starting tile. Three types of Studio improvements:

• Landscape icons: Enable painting specific landscapes on your Print.
• Supplies: Immediate effects (gain a Brush, take the Assistant pawn, keep a card between rounds).
• Know-how: Permanent new abilities.

Expanding Your Print

Place a Lesson card showing the Print side to the right of your Starting tile, extending your painting. Requirements:

• Must have a Brush pawn on a matching Landscape icon in your Studio.
• The Brush is moved from your Studio to the Lesson card on your Print.
• Cards in your Print form a continuous panoramic painting.

Brush Management

• Brushes can be moved each round using Arrow icons on your Studio.
• Brushes on Prints are “locked” until moved back by an Arrow ability.
• You can gain new Brushes through Studio Supplies.

Claiming Diplomas

When you meet a Diploma’s requirement (specific number of subjects, seasons, or studio improvements), take it immediately. Each Diploma provides Harmony Points and sometimes Storm tokens. Each Diploma pair has a “basic” and “advanced” version; taking the basic prevents you from earning the advanced.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

The game ends when the Lesson card deck is empty (after that round completes). Each player scores:

• Diploma Harmony points
• End-of-game bonus icons on Print cards (1 Harmony each)
• Storm tokens: Placed on Print cards to create the most beneficial season sequences.

The player with the most Harmony points wins. Tiebreak: most Lesson cards in Print.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• The back color of Lesson cards hints at the Main Subject on the Print side (green = Trees, red = Characters, yellow = Buildings, blue = Animals).
• You can always look at the backs of cards in the draw deck.
• Storm tokens act as wild Seasons – place them at game end on Print cards to optimize season scoring.
• The Assistant pawn passes between players during a round; the Grand Master pawn only changes at round end.
• The keep-a-card ability (from certain Studio cards) lets you retain one Lesson card between rounds.

Player Reference

Card Color	Main Subject
Green	Trees (1-3)
Red	Characters
Yellow	Buildings
Blue	Animals

Studio Type	Effect
Landscape	Enables painting matching Prints
Supplies	Immediate effect (Brush, Assistant, keep card)
Know-how	Permanent ability

Key Numbers	Value
Lesson cards	72
Starting Brushes	2
Max school rows	3
Diploma tiles	19