🐼 Takenoko – Cultivate the Emperor’s Bamboo Garden

Long ago, at the Japanese Imperial court, the Chinese Emperor offered a giant panda as a symbol of peace to the Japanese Emperor. Entrusted with this sacred animal, the Emperor now relies on his most loyal court members—you—to care for the panda by cultivating and maintaining a magnificent bamboo garden.

🎯 Objective

Grow and manage the bamboo garden wisely.
By completing objectives through land development, bamboo growth, and feeding the panda, players earn victory points. The player who scores the most points wins.

🧩 How the Game Plays

On their turn, players choose actions to develop the garden and fulfill objectives:

🌱 Cultivate the Land

• Place new land plots to expand the garden

• Each plot can grow one of three bamboo species:

  • Green

  • Yellow

  • Pink

💧 Irrigation & Growth

• Build irrigation channels to allow bamboo to grow

• With the help of the Imperial Gardener, bamboo stalks rise higher and higher

🐼 Feed the Panda

• The panda wanders the garden, eating bamboo

• Its insatiable appetite is both a challenge and an opportunity for scoring

📜 Complete Objectives

• Balance growing bamboo, arranging plots, and feeding the panda

• Smart planning and adaptability are key

🧠 Why Takenoko Is Beloved

• Elegant rules with deep tactical choices

• A perfect balance of strategy and accessibility

• Adorable theme with strong table presence

• High replayability thanks to variable objectives and garden layouts

🌸 The Experience

Takenoko is colorful, calm, and charming—but don’t be fooled. Behind its serene look lies a clever optimization game where timing, positioning, and foresight make all the difference.