The design of the Koi ponds may have a great effect on the Nishikigoi’s health and well-being. The Emperor has chosen you to build perfectly suitable ponds, so the carps can reach their highest potential. To do so, you must assign each Koi colony its proper place.

In each round, players have to cooperate assigning a different group of carps splitting the pond. It’s important to optimise the area to shelter the most colonies.

In turn you need to build the perfect home to the colony.

First, determine the perfect pond rolling the 3 dice. These dice show you the exact number of nishikigoi you must have inside a pond area when it’s closed.

To shape the pond, each player must play a Pond card (placed partially other cards) in turn order until a pond area is completely (the wather lilies line is closed). To do so, the card can be partially placed over other cards in play (never underneath).

When the pond is closed, if the exact number of nishikigoi of each colour matches the dice, remove 5 of the played cards and put them at the bottom of the deck. The rest are set aside to show you have built a perfect pond area.

The game ends when all cards have been played. There is no more space in the imperial pond and it’s time to evaluate how well you have done.