Japan Boardgame Prize

Article Edit | History | Editors

The Japan Boardgame Prize is an award sponsored by U-more, an organization whose goal is to spread the culture of board games in Japan.

Awards

The rationales for the awards from 2002-2007 are as follows:

The Best Foreign Game for Beginners - "its rule is relative easy, and playing time is short, so that everyone can enjoy themselves immediately, regardless of experience"
The Best Advanced Game - "more advanced and can be played by those who are accustomed to play games"
The Best Japanese Game - "published in Japanese package"
The Best Childgame - "its illustration and components are designed for children, easy to play for children less than nine years old, and also quite enjoyable for parents"

In 2008 U-More combined the previous four categories and nominated no games. Voters selected up to five favorites from a list of 154 titles, which were sold in Japan from October 2007 to September 2008.
They added up for each voter 5 points to the first favorite, 4 points to the second ... 1 point to the fifth.
There are a total of 317 voters from 32 Prefectures in cooperation with many boardgame circles and shops.

Winners

2011

1st prize : 7 Wonders
2nd prize : Skull & Roses
3rd prize : The Resistance
4th prize : K2
5th prize : Navegador
6th prize : Dixit
7th prize : Yabu no naka(“Hattari” Japanese edition)
8th prize : King of Tokyo
9th prize : Pig 10
10th prize: Quarriors!
U-more Award:Pig 10

2010

1st prize : Cat & Chocolate
2nd prize : Power Grid / Funkenschlag
3rd prize : Race for the Galaxy
4th prize : Le Harve
5th prize : GiftTrap
6th prize : Thunderstone
7th prize : Fresco
8th prize : Ubongo 3D
9th prize : Die Speicherstadt
10th prize: Barbarossa

2009

1st prize : Dominion
2nd prize : Pandemic
3rd prize : Agricola
4th prize : Le Harve
5th prize : Dōbutsu Shōgi (Let's catch the lion!)
6th prize : Small World
7th prize : Dominion: Intrigue
8th prize : Galaxy Trucker
9th prize : Aber Bitte mit Sahne: Das Joker-Stück
10th prize: Domemo
U-more Award: Let's Catch the Lion!

2008

1st prize : Witch's Brew
2nd prize : Stone Age
3rd prize : Race for the Galaxy
4th prize : Agricola
5th prize : Handelsfürsten: Herren der Meere
6th prize : In the Year of the Dragon
7th prize : Keltis
8th prize : O-saki ni Sitsurei Shima-su!!
9th prize : Kakerlaken-Salat
10th prize: Blokus 3D
10th prize: Patrician
U-more Award:Blokus 3D

Year, Award	Winner	Designers	Publisher
2007
The Best Foreign Game for Beginners	Zooloretto	Michael Schacht	Abacusspiele
The Best Advanced Game	Die Säulen der Erde	Michael Rieneck, Stefan Stadler	Kosmos Verlag
The Best Japanese Game	Bursa	(Uncredited)	Learning Design Association, Inc.
The Best Childgame	Hüpf Hüpf Hurra!	Heinz Meister	Ravensburger
2006
The Best Foreign Game for Beginners	HEY! That's my fish!	Günter Cornett, Alvydas Jakeliunas	Phalanx Spiele
The Best Advanced Game	Thurn und Taxis	Karen Seyfarth, Andreas Seyfarth	Hans im Glück
The Best Japanese Game	Ticket to Ride	Alan R. Moon	Bandai
The Best Childgame	Giro Galoppo	Jürgen P. Grunau	Selecta Spielzeug
2005
The Best Foreign Game for Beginners	Diamant	Bruno Faidutti, Alan R. Moon	Schmidt Spiele
The Best Advanced Game	Shadows over Camelot	Serge Laget, Bruno Cathala	Days of Wonder
The Best Japanese Game	Q-Jet 21XX	Wolfgang Riedesser	Möbius Games
The Best Childgame	Mago Magino	Reiner Knizia	Selecta Spielzeug
2004
The Best Foreign Game for Beginners	Einfach Genial	Reiner Knizia	KOSMOS
The Best Advanced Game	Ticket to Ride	Alan R. Moon	Days of Wonder
The Best Japanese Game	San Juan	Andreas Seyfarth	alea, Möbius Games
The Best Childgame	Geistertreppe	Michelle Schanen	Drei Magier Spiele
2003
The Best Foreign Game for Beginners	Coloretto	Michael Schacht	Abacus Spiele
The Best Advanced Game	Edel, Stein & Reich	Reinhard Staupe	alea, Ravensburger
The Best Japanese Game	Apples to Apples	Matthew Kirby & Mark Alan Osterhaus	Beverly Enterprises, Inc.
The Best Childgame	Viva Topo!	Manfred Ludwig	Selecta Spielzeug
2002
The Best Foreign Game for Beginners	Trans America	Franz-Benno Delonge	Winning Moves Games (USA)
The Best Advanced Game	Puerto Rico	Andreas Seyfarth	alea, Ravensburger
The Best Japanese Game	Blokus	Bernard Tavitian	Beverly Enterprises, Inc.
The Best Childgame	Die Maulwurf Company	Virginia Charves & Bertram Kaes	Ravensburger