Last updated: 2026-10-29.
TL;DR
Riichi mahjong (リーチ麻雀) is Japanese mahjong: a four-player game with 136 tiles — 34 kinds, four of each, with no flower tiles. You win with four sets and a pair, and the hand must contain at least one yaku (a scoring pattern). Declaring riichi with a closed waiting hand is itself a yaku, and dora bonus tiles add value. Those three ideas — the one-yaku rule, riichi and dora — are what make Japanese mahjong different from Chinese and American mahjong.[1][2][3]
- Learn: the tile table, the turn-by-turn rules and the yaku list below are a full beginner guide.
- Score: han and fu, the limit table (mangan 8,000) and the point sticks.
- Buy: Japanese tile sets (28 mm “parlor size” from ¥6,900) and AMOS automatic tables (from ¥165,000) — with a power warning for US readers.
As of October 2026, this riichi mahjong guide covers what Japanese mahjong is called and where it came from, every tile and its name, how to play riichi mahjong step by step, the yaku list and yakuman, scoring with han and fu, riichi vs Chinese and American mahjong, Japanese mahjong sets, tile sizes, point sticks and automatic tables, mahjong culture in Japan, and how to buy a mahjong set from Japan.
What Is Riichi Mahjong?
Mahjong — 麻雀, read mājan (マージャン) in Japanese — is a four-player tile game played with 136 tiles, in which players race to complete combinations.[2] Japanese dictionaries say mahjong began in China and reached Japan at the end of the Meiji era; after World War II Japan developed its own rules with a bigger element of chance, and the hanchan (half game) became the usual format.[2] The Japanese mahjong variant — the Japanese version of mahjong — is called riichi mahjong after its signature move: a player whose closed hand is one tile from winning may declare riichi (立直, pronounced “ree-chee” — that is the riichi pronunciation).[3][2]
So what is riichi in mahjong? It is both the declaration and the name of the whole Japanese style, and you will also see it written Japanese riichi mahjong, Japanese mahjong (riichi) or simply “riichi”. Riichi rules are published by Japanese leagues and by international bodies such as the World Riichi Championship (WRC) and the European Mahjong Association (EMA), and they differ in details — so riichi rules around the world are best described as one family with house variations.[1][4][3]
Riichi Mahjong Tiles: Names, Numbers and How Many
A riichi mahjong set has 136 tiles: four of each of 34 kinds — 27 number tiles (three suits × 9) and 7 honor tiles.[1][5] This is the riichi mahjong tile list with the Japanese tile names:[5][3]
| Suit | Japanese | Tiles (readings) | How many |
|---|---|---|---|
| Characters (manzu / wanzu) | 萬子 | 1–9 man (一萬 … 九萬) | 9 kinds × 4 = 36 |
| Circles / dots (pinzu) | 筒子 | 1–9 pin | 9 × 4 = 36 |
| Bamboo (souzu) | 索子 | 1–9 sou | 9 × 4 = 36 |
| Winds (kazehai) | 東 南 西 北 | ton, nan, shaa, pei — East, South, West, North | 4 × 4 = 16 |
| Dragons (sangenpai) | 白 發 中 | haku (white), hatsu (green), chun (red) | 3 × 4 = 12 |
| Total | 34 kinds | 136 tiles |
- Number readings: 1 ii, 2 ryan, 3 san, 4 suu, 5 uu, 6 roo, 7 chii, 8 paa, 9 kyuu — so the 1 of circles is “ii-pin” and 9 characters is “kyuu-man”.[5]
- Japanese mahjong symbols: character tiles carry the kanji numbers 一 to 九 above 萬; circles show dots; bamboo shows sticks. The suit names are said to be money words — 萬 is “ten thousand”, circles are coins, bamboo is strings of coins — though dictionaries call this one of several theories.[5][2]
- Honor tiles are the four winds and three dragons; terminal tiles are the 1s and 9s; simples are 2–8.[2] Wind tiles are read ton, nan, shaa, pei — not with everyday Japanese readings — and the dragon tiles are haku, hatsu and chun (the green dragon and red dragon are hatsu and chun).[5]
- Red fives (赤ドラ, aka-dora): many Japanese sets include one red 5 in each suit; when they are in play each counts as a dora. M.League uses them; WRC 2025 and EMA 2016 do not.[5][3][1][4]
- Flower tiles: not used in riichi mahjong, nor are joker tiles. Encyclopedias mention eight flower tiles that are “now rarely used”.[4][2]
The tiles are the game pieces — riichi mahjong pieces are always counted in tiles, and the tile quantity is 136. There are no blank tiles in play: the white dragon (haku) is the plain tile that looks blank. A tile key or cheat sheet labeled in English helps beginners read the kanji.[5][1]
If you want riichi mahjong tiles with numbers — Arabic numerals or English letters in a corner, handy for learners who cannot yet read the kanji — check the listing photos; standard Japanese tiles show only kanji on the character tiles.[5]
How to Play Riichi Mahjong: The Basic Rules
This riichi mahjong tutorial — riichi for dummies, if you like — is played on a mat or a table rather than a board, so it is a tile game more than a board game. These riichi mahjong basics follow the common core of the M.League, WRC, EMA and Tenhou rule sets; where they differ, it is noted. House rules vary, so agree on them before you start.[3][1][4][6]
Setup: seats, wall and dead wall
- Players: 4, each with a seat wind. East is the dealer; South sits to East’s right, West across and North to the left.[4]
- Build the wall: each player builds 17 stacks two tiles high; dice (at least two) decide where the wall is broken (breaking the wall).[4][2]
- Dead wall: the last 14 tiles form the dead wall (王牌, wanpai). One tile in it is turned face up as the dora indicator.[3][4]
- Deal: East starts with 14 tiles, everyone else with 13.[4]
Turns, calls and win conditions
- Each turn: draw one tile, discard one. Your hand is 13 tiles (plus one for each kan).[2][3]
- Winning shape: four sets (melds) and one pair. Sets are sequences (three in a row in one suit), triplets or quads; seven pairs and thirteen orphans are the two exceptions.[3][4][2]
- At least one yaku: a complete hand without a yaku cannot win — “no yaku” is the classic beginner mistake. Dora do not count as a yaku.[3][7][4]
- Chii, pon, kan: chii (a sequence) can be called only on the discard of the player to your left; pon (a triplet) can be called from anyone, and pon beats chii on the same tile. A win beats both. Calling opens your hand, which removes some yaku.[8][3] A kan (quad, also called a kong) is concealed (four tiles in hand), called on a discard, or added to your own pon; every kan draws a replacement tile from the dead wall and turns another dora indicator.[3][4]
- Tsumo or ron: win on your own draw (tsumo, all three opponents pay) or on another player’s discard (ron, the discarder pays everything).[3] M.League allows one winner per discard; Tenhou allows double ron.[3][6]
Riichi: how and when to declare it
You can declare riichi only with a closed hand in tenpai — one tile from winning (tenpai, 聴牌).[3][9] Say “riichi”, turn your discard sideways and put a 1,000-point stick on the table as a deposit; the next player to win collects it, and after a draw it stays on the table.[3][1][4] These riichi sticks are sometimes searched as “riichi betting sticks”, but they are scoring deposits, not money. After riichi you cannot change your hand, a concealed kan is allowed only if it does not change your wait, and you win extra han if you win within one go-around (ippatsu).[3][4] A winning riichi hand also reveals ura dora — the tiles under the dora indicators.[3]
Riichi vs tsumo / riichi vs tenpai: riichi is the declaration, tsumo is winning on your own draw, and tenpai is the state of being ready — you can be tenpai without declaring riichi. Staying closed and tenpai without declaring is called dama or damaten.
Dora, furiten and draws
- Dora: the dora is the tile after the indicator: 9 wraps to 1 in the same suit, winds run East → South → West → North → East, dragons white → green → red → white. Each dora is +1 han; kan dora, ura dora and red fives work the same way.[4][3][7] So, what is dora in riichi mahjong? A bonus, never a yaku.
- Furiten: if any of your winning tiles is in your own discards, you cannot win by ron — only by tsumo. Letting a winning discard pass makes you temporarily furiten until your next turn; after riichi, it lasts for the rest of the hand.[3][4][10]
- Exhaustive draw (流局, ryuukyoku): when the last tile is gone with no winner, noten players pay tenpai players a total of 3,000 points.[11][12][4] Abortive draws (nine terminals, four winds, four kans, triple ron, four riichi) are played on Tenhou but not in M.League, WRC or EMA rules.[11][6][3][1][4]
- Dealer and counters: the dealer keeps the deal after winning or being tenpai at a draw; otherwise it passes to the right. Each repeat adds a counter (honba, 本場) worth +300 to the next win.[3][4]
Game length and starting points
A hanchan (半荘) is an East round plus a South round; a tonpuusen is the East round only — the East vs South game options you see in apps.[3][2][6] Starting points differ by rule set:
| Rule set | Start | Return | Uma (placement bonus) |
|---|---|---|---|
| M.League | 25,000 | counted from 30,000 | +50 / +10 / −10 / −30 (thousands) |
| Tenhou ranked 4-player | 25,000 | 30,000 | 10-20 |
| WRC 2025 | 30,000 | 30,000 | +15 / +5 / −5 / −15 |
| EMA 2016 | 30,000 | 30,000 | +15,000 / +5,000 / −5,000 / −15,000 |
Point sticks (tenbō) keep the score at the table. In M.League each player starts with one 10,000, two 5,000, four 1,000, one 500 and five 100 sticks — 25,000 points.[3] Their values are 10,000, 5,000, 1,000, 500 and 100.[4][13]
Riichi Mahjong Yaku List
This riichi yaku list (a yaku chart and cheat sheet in one) uses the WRC 2025 numbering; “—” means closed hand only. M.League adds two bonus han to every win, so its tables show the same yaku two han higher — don’t mix the two systems.[1][3]
| Han | Yaku | Meaning | Closed | Open |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Riichi 立直 | Riichi | 1 | — |
| 1 | Ippatsu 一発 | One-shot (win within one go-around after riichi) | 1 | — |
| 1 | Menzen tsumo 門前清自摸和 | Fully concealed hand (self-draw win) | 1 | — |
| 1 | Pinfu 平和 | All sequences, no-points hand | 1 | — |
| 1 | Iipeikou 一盃口 | Pure double sequence (twin sequences) | 1 | — |
| 1 | Tanyao 断么九 | All simples (2–8 only) | 1 | 1 |
| 1 | Yakuhai 役牌 | Dragon triplet, seat-wind or round-wind triplet | 1 each | 1 each |
| 1 | Chankan 搶槓 | Robbing a kan | 1 | 1 |
| 1 | Rinshan kaihou 嶺上開花 | Win on the replacement tile after a kan | 1 | 1 |
| 1 | Haitei 海底摸月 | Win on the last tile draw (“under the sea”) | 1 | 1 |
| 1 | Houtei 河底撈魚 | Win on the last discard (“under the river”) | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Double riichi | Riichi on your first discard | 2 | — |
| 2 | Chiitoitsu 七対子 | Seven pairs (always 25 fu) | 2 | — |
| 2 | Ittsu (ittsuu) 一気通貫 | Pure straight 1–9 in one suit | 2 | 1 |
| 2 | Sanshoku doujun 三色同順 | Mixed triple sequence | 2 | 1 |
| 2 | Sanshoku doukou 三色同刻 | Triple triplets | 2 | 2 |
| 2 | Toitoi 対々和 | All triplets | 2 | 2 |
| 2 | San’ankou 三暗刻 | Three concealed triplets | 2 | 2 |
| 2 | Sankantsu 三槓子 | Three kans (quads) | 2 | 2 |
| 2 | Chanta 全帯么九 | Half outside hand (every set has a terminal or honor) | 2 | 1 |
| 2 | Honroutou 混老頭 | All terminals and honors | 2 | 2 |
| 2 | Shousangen 小三元 | Little three dragons | 2 | 2 |
| 3 | Ryanpeikou 二盃口 | Two pure double sequences | 3 | — |
| 3 | Honitsu 混一色 | Half flush (one suit + honors) | 3 | 2 |
| 3 | Junchan 純全帯么九 | Fully outside hand (terminal in every set) | 3 | 2 |
| 6 | Chinitsu 清一色 | Full flush (one suit only) | 6 | 5 |
Easy yaku for beginners: riichi, tanyao (all simples), yakuhai (a dragon triplet) and menzen tsumo. Open yaku such as tanyao, yakuhai, toitoi and honitsu (the half flush) still work after calling; riichi, pinfu and iipeikou need a closed hand.[1]
Yakuman list
Yakuman are the limit hands — “a dozen or so” top-scoring patterns in the dictionary definition.[14] The riichi mahjong yakuman list (WRC 2025; M.League uses the same twelve):[1][3]
| Yakuman | Hand |
|---|---|
| Kokushi musou 国士無双 | Thirteen orphans: one of each terminal and honor + one pair |
| Suuankou 四暗刻 | Four concealed triplets |
| Daisangen 大三元 | Big three dragons |
| Shousuushii 小四喜 / Daisuushii 大四喜 | Little four winds / big four winds |
| Tsuuiisou 字一色 | All honors |
| Chinroutou 清老頭 | All terminals |
| Ryuuiisou 緑一色 | All green: 2-3-4-6-8 sou and the green dragon (the green dragon is not required in WRC rules) |
| Chuuren poutou 九蓮宝燈 | Nine gates |
| Suukantsu 四槓子 | Four kans |
| Tenhou 天和 / Chiihou 地和 | Dealer wins on the deal / non-dealer wins on the first draw |
Local yaku: kuitan and nagashi mangan
- Kuitan (喰いタン) is tanyao with an open hand. Most online games play “kuitan ari” (allowed), but some groups play “kuitan nashi”; ask before you play with new people.[15][1][4]
- Nagashi mangan (流し満貫): at an exhaustive draw, a player who discarded only terminals and honors, none of them called, is paid like a self-drawn mangan. Tenhou uses it; WRC 2025 and M.League do not, and EMA keeps it only as a popular house rule.[4][6][1][3]
- Renhou (win on a discard before your first draw) is a mangan-value yaku in WRC rules and is not on M.League’s list.[1][3]
Riichi Mahjong Scoring: Han, Fu and the Point Table
Riichi scoring has two parts: han (from yaku and dora) and fu (minipoints from the hand’s shape). Below 5 han, the basic points are fu × 2(han + 2), rounded up to 100, and the limit table takes over above that.[1][4]
Fu calculation (fu chart)
| Element | Fu |
|---|---|
| Base (every hand) | 20 |
| Closed hand won by ron | +10 |
| Tsumo (not with pinfu) | +2 |
| Triplet of simples, open / closed | 2 / 4 |
| Triplet of terminals or honors, open / closed | 4 / 8 |
| Kan: four times the triplet value | simples 8 / 16; terminals and honors 16 / 32 |
| Pair of dragons, or of your seat or round wind | 2 |
| Edge, middle (closed) or single-tile pair wait | 2 |
| Seven pairs | flat 25 |
| Round up | to the next 10 |
Sources: M.League, WRC and EMA rules.[3][1][4]
Limit hands: mangan, haneman, baiman, sanbaiman, yakuman
| Limit | Han | Non-dealer | Dealer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mangan 満貫 | 5 han (or 4 han 30 fu / 3 han 60 fu with kiriage) | 8,000 | 12,000 |
| Haneman 跳満 | 6–7 han | 12,000 | 18,000 |
| Baiman 倍満 | 8–10 han | 16,000 | 24,000 |
| Sanbaiman 三倍満 | 11–12 han | 24,000 | 36,000 |
| Yakuman 役満 | yakuman hand | 32,000 | 48,000 |
Han ranges are WRC 2025’s; the point values follow M.League’s table and Kinma.[1][3][16][17] On a tsumo, a non-dealer haneman is 3,000 from each non-dealer and 6,000 from the dealer, and a dealer haneman is 6,000 all.[16] Rounding 4 han 30 fu up to mangan (kiriage) is used by WRC and M.League but not EMA.[1][3][4] A hand of 13+ han is a “counted yakuman” on Tenhou, but capped at sanbaiman in M.League and EMA.[18][6][3][4]
A riichi mahjong scoring table or point calculator saves time at the table: list han across, fu down, and read off the non-dealer and dealer values — or use the app’s automatic scoring while you learn.
Defense Basics: Genbutsu, Safe Tiles and Kabe
- Genbutsu (現物): a tile that the player in riichi has already discarded. Furiten means they cannot ron on it, so it is a completely safe tile against them.[19][20]
- Anpai / anzenpai (安牌): any safe tile; the opposite is a “danger tile”.[19]
- Kabe (壁, “wall”): when all four copies of a tile are visible, certain waits are impossible.[20]
Riichi mahjong tips and strategy for beginners: aim for a quick, cheap yaku (riichi or tanyao), keep the hand closed when you can, and fold with genbutsu when someone declares riichi and your hand is far from tenpai.
Riichi vs Chinese, Hong Kong and American Mahjong
- Riichi vs Chinese mahjong: the Chinese International rules (MCR) were set by China’s General Administration of Sport in 1998. They have no riichi, no dora and no furiten, and score with 81 kinds of hands; an open hand does not lose value the way it does in Japanese rules.[21]
- Riichi vs American mahjong: American mah jongg uses jokers, a card of standard hands that changes every year, and the Charleston tile exchange at the start of each game.[22][23] An American set is typically 152 tiles including flowers and jokers, against 136 in riichi.[24]
- Riichi vs Hong Kong mahjong: Hong Kong mahjong is another regional Chinese style with its own scoring; against any of them, the riichi-only features are the one-yaku rule, riichi itself, dora and furiten.[1][4]
- Japanese mahjong set vs Chinese: a Japanese set is built for 136 tiles plus red fives and point sticks; traditional Chinese sets usually have 144 tiles and American sets 152, with flowers and (in American sets) jokers.[5][24]
Japanese Mahjong Sets and Tile Sizes
Mahjong tile dimensions and set dimensions — Japanese mahjong tiles are sized in millimeters across the face: 26 mm is AMOS’s “hand-play size”, and 28 mm is “the size familiar from mahjong parlors”; automatic tables take 28 mm or 30 mm (30 × 22 × 16.5 mm) tiles.[25][26][27] Prices below are from the AMOS shop, tax included, checked 2026-10-29:[25][26][28][13][29]
| Set | Tile size | Tile weight | Contents | Price in Japan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMOS BEGIN | 26 × 19.5 × 16 mm (“hand-play size”) | about 12 g | 144 tiles, 103 point sticks, 3 dice, wind marker | ¥6,390 |
| AMOS SMART | 28 × 21 × 16.5 mm (“parlor size”) | about 14 g | 144 tiles, 103 sticks, 3 dice, wind marker, 4 yakitori markers | ¥6,900 |
| AMOS MASTERS | 28 × 21 × 16.5 mm | about 14 g | 144 tiles, 103 sticks, 4 dice, 20 chips, COMPASS and HAYAHAYA accessories | ¥8,900 |
| AMOS COMPLETE GEAR (aluminum case) | 28 × 21 × 16.5 mm | about 14 g | 144 tiles, 91 sticks, 4 dice, 40 chips | ¥13,600 |
| Mahjong Soul (Jantama) hand-play set | 28 × 21 × 16.5 mm | about 12 g | 144 tiles, 91 sticks, 4 riichi sticks, 69 × 69 cm mat, 4 dice | ¥17,600 |
- Material: AMOS tiles are urea resin (ユリア樹脂) — not melamine or acrylic. To judge set quality (high quality or starter), compare tile size, weight, material and contents; AMOS BEGIN is the starter set, and the 30 mm table tiles are the Japanese XL size.[26][25] The shop pages do not say what the extra tiles beyond 136 are, so check the contents photo.
- Point sticks in a set: a 103-stick set is 10 × 10,000, 12 × 5,000, 36 × 1,000 and 45 × 100; a 91-stick set is 10 × 10,000, 12 × 5,000, 36 × 1,000, 8 × 500 and 25 × 100.[26][13]
- Mats and tables: AMOS’s roll-up mats are ¥2,900 (Light Mat) and ¥4,600 (Junk Mat), both rubber (SBR) and about 500 g; a folding hand-play table (JANWAY) is ¥8,800.[30]
- Dice and markers: sets include 3–4 dice and a wind (East–South) marker; M.League calls it the dealer marker.[26][28][3]
Large riichi mahjong sets — the 28 mm and 30 mm sizes — are easier to read; a 26 mm set is lighter for travel. Vintage and antique Japanese mahjong sets turn up on Yahoo Auctions and Mercari; check that all 136 tiles are present.
Automatic Mahjong Tables (全自動麻雀卓)
An automatic mahjong table — an auto table, autotable or mahjong machine — shuffles and builds the walls inside the table. Home tables come with two tile sets (yellow and blue backs): one set is shuffled underneath while the other is in play — that is how an automatic mahjong table works. M.League plays on automatic tables that also deal the tiles.[31][27][3] AMOS (Taiyo Giken) makes commercial and home tables.[32] Automatic mahjong table dimensions, design, weights and prices from the maker and its shop:[33][34][31][35][27][36]
| Model | Size | Weight | Power | Tile size | Price (tax incl.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMOS JP2 (home) | W83 × D83 × H76 cm; H39 cm as a floor table; folds to W55 × D83 × H106 cm | about 45 kg | AC 100 V, 180 W | 28 or 30 mm | ¥165,000 |
| AMOS JP-DG (home, digital score display, no sticks) | W89 × D89 × H76 cm | about 47 kg | AC 100 V, 135 W | 28 mm | ¥198,000 |
| AMOS JP-EX COLOR (home, color LCD scores) | W90 × D90 × H76 cm | about 47 kg | AC 100 V, 250 W | 28 or 30 mm | ¥264,000 |
| AMOS REXX III (commercial) | W94 × D94 × H76 cm | about 48–59 kg | AC 100 V, 80 W | — | sold through mahjong supply dealers |
AMOS rates the shuffle noise at about 50 dB and gives a one-year warranty on tables bought from its own shop.[33][35] US buyers, check the power first: every AMOS table above is rated AC 100 V, 50/60 Hz — Japan’s household voltage. US outlets supply 120 V, and AMOS does not state that its tables are made for use outside Japan; read the rating plate and ask the maker before you plug one in.[33][35][36] A 45 kg table is also a heavy, bulky parcel: ask for a live shipping quote before you buy.
Mahjong in Japan: History, Parlors and Culture
- Japanese mahjong history and origin: encyclopedias credit Natagawa Hikosaku, an English teacher in Sichuan, with bringing tiles home around 1910; the game spread from the late Taishō era, and in 1929 the writer Kikuchi Kan led the founding of a Japan mahjong federation. It boomed again after World War II.[2]
- Mahjong parlors: a parlor is a jansō (雀荘).[37] Parlors are licensed amusement businesses under the Amusement Business Act.[38] The National Police Agency counts them every year:[39]
| Year (end) | Licensed mahjong businesses |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 7,597 |
| 2021 | 7,312 |
| 2022 | 7,061 |
| 2023 | 6,734 |
| 2024 | 6,513 |
- Gambling: gambling for money is illegal in Japan under the Penal Code (Article 185), unless the stake is only something for momentary entertainment.[40]
- Health mahjong (健康麻将): the Japan Health Mahjong Association’s motto is “no betting, no drinking, no smoking”; it has run games since 1988, and health mahjong is an event at the Nenrin Pic national health festival.[41][42]
- The Japan Professional Mahjong League (JPML) was founded on March 6, 1981.[43] It co-runs KONAMI’s arcade series Mahjong Fight Club, first released in 2002.[44]
- M.League: launched in 2018 and opened that October with 7 teams; its teams page lists 10 clubs today, backed by companies such as TV Asahi, CyberAgent, KADOKAWA, KONAMI, SEGA SAMMY and U-NEXT. It plays hanchan games from 25,000 points with red fives on automatic tables.[45][46][3]
- World Riichi Championship: first held in Paris in 2014 with 120 players from 22 countries; later editions include Las Vegas 2017, Vienna 2022 and Tokyo 2025.[47]
Where to play riichi mahjong
Japanese mahjong websites and apps: Tenhou (天鳳) is free to play on web and mobile, with paid features from ¥660 per 30 days; its top Phoenix table needs 7-dan, R2000+ and a paid account.[48][6] Mahjong Soul (雀魂, “Jantama”), developed by Catfood Studio and published by Yostar, is free to play and describes itself as classic Japanese (riichi) mahjong; it came to Steam on July 23, 2024.[49] AMOS sells a Mahjong Soul tile set.[29]
Mahjong anime, manga and games
Akagi by Fukumoto Nobuyuki ran in Kindai Mahjong magazines from 1992 to 2018 (36 volumes) and became a 26-episode TV anime in 2005.[50] Saki is another mahjong anime series. On consoles, Nintendo released Mahjong for the Famicom in August 1983 and Yakuman for Game Boy in April 1989.[2][14]
Riichi Terminology: Glossary of Japanese Terms
- Riichi 立直 — ready-hand declaration. Tsumo 自摸 — self-draw win. Ron 栄和 — win on a discard.[3]
- Chii 吃 / Pon 碰 / Kan 槓 — sequence, triplet and quad calls (pon vs chi: pon can be called from anyone, chi only from the left).[8]
- Tenpai 聴牌 — one tile from winning; noten — not tenpai.[9][12]
- Furiten, dora, ura dora, aka dora (red fives), honba, uma and oka (placement bonus), yakitori (a marker for players who have not won yet).[3][7][1][26]
- Han 翻 — doubles; fu 符 — minipoints; mangan 満貫 — the first limit hand.[1]
Japanese Words for Shopping
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 麻雀 | mājan | mahjong |
| リーチ麻雀 | riichi mājan | riichi mahjong |
| 麻雀牌 | mājan-pai | mahjong tiles |
| 麻雀セット / 手積み麻雀セット | setto / tezumi | tile set / hand-play set |
| 全自動麻雀卓 | zen-jidō mājan-taku | automatic mahjong table |
| 家庭用全自動麻雀卓 | katei-yō | home automatic table |
| 点棒 | tenbō | point sticks |
| 麻雀マット | mājan matto | mahjong mat |
| 東南マーク / 起家マーク | tonnan / chiicha māku | wind / dealer marker |
| 赤牌 / 赤ドラ | aka-hai / aka-dora | red fives |
| 28mm牌 / 30mm牌 | — | tile size |
| 大洋技研 / AMOS / アモス | — | maker of AMOS tiles and tables |
| 雀荘 | jansō | mahjong parlor |
| 役 | yaku | scoring pattern |
| 翻 / 符 | han / fu | doubles / minipoints |
| 聴牌 | tenpai | one tile from winning |
How to Buy a Mahjong Set From Japan
- Search in Japanese: 麻雀牌 or 麻雀セット plus the size (28mm), the maker (AMOS, 大洋技研), 赤牌 for red fives, or 全自動麻雀卓 for a table.
- Check the listing: tile size, number of tiles (136 plus extras), stick count, and for a used table the voltage, weight and both tile sets.
- Maker shops: OneMall’s LinkBuy can buy from Japanese online stores by URL.
- Before it ships: add a wrong/missing-item check (¥200) or unboxing photos (¥500 / ¥700) at the Tokyo warehouse to see the tiles before international shipping, and package reinforcement (from ¥100) for a boxed set.
OneMall buys from Japanese marketplaces such as Mercari, Yahoo Auctions, Rakuten and Amazon Japan, and from other Japanese online stores (including maker web shops) through LinkBuy. Items that need a lottery entry, purchase limit, Japanese identity verification or a merchant account cannot be purchased. International shipping is charged on the greater of actual weight and volumetric weight (length × width × height ÷ 5,000) of the box the warehouse uses.
Service fees are ¥300 per item on most marketplaces; from ¥200 per item on Yahoo Auctions and LinkBuy. The first six orders consolidate free; each additional order costs ¥100. Storage is free for 90 days after arrival (30 days after consolidation). Payment is by Visa, Mastercard or PayPal, settled in USD.
US buyers: since August 29, 2025, US-bound parcels of any value go through customs and pay applicable duties, taxes and fees — the $800 de minimis exemption no longer applies. OneMall currently ships to the United States by ECMS, DHL and Japan Post EMS (DDP — declared value up to USD 2,500, duties prepaid with the shipping fee); the live quote at checkout shows which lines accept your parcel.
If something breaks: damage caused inside the warehouse by OneMall is refunded at the item’s purchase price; damage in international transit is compensated up to the international shipping fee paid, and must be reported within 24 hours with the order number, photos and a full unboxing video. Loss in transit is handled by the carrier, and OneMall helps confirm with the carrier and file the claim within 72 hours. Duties and customs fees are paid by the buyer.
Browse Japanese mahjong tiles, automatic mahjong tables or mahjong sets, and compare the best Japan proxy services and proxy costs by total landed cost. More Japanese games: hanafuda and koi-koi, shogi and go sets and Japanese toy brands.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tiles are in a riichi mahjong set?
136 — 34 kinds, four of each: three suits of 1–9, four winds and three dragons. No flowers or jokers.
What is Japanese mahjong called?
Riichi mahjong (リーチ麻雀), or just mājan (麻雀) in Japanese.
Can you win with no yaku?
No. A complete hand needs at least one yaku; dora alone do not count. Declaring riichi gives you one.
What is the difference between riichi and Chinese mahjong?
Riichi has riichi, dora, furiten and the one-yaku rule; Chinese International rules have none of these and use 81 scoring hands.
How much is a mangan?
8,000 points for a non-dealer and 12,000 for the dealer.
What size are Japanese mahjong tiles?
26 mm for hand-play sets, 28 mm (28 × 21 × 16.5 mm) for parlor-size sets, and 28 or 30 mm for automatic tables.
Do Japanese automatic mahjong tables work in the US?
They are rated 100 V for Japan; US outlets are 120 V. Check with the maker before using one outside Japan.
References
- World Riichi Championship, WRC Rules 2025 (PDF). https://www.worldriichi.org/s/WRC-Rules-2025-42fx.pdf
- Kotobank, Mahjong (encyclopedia entries). https://kotobank.jp/word/%E9%BA%BB%E9%9B%80-136479
- M.League, About M.League and match rules. https://m-league.jp/about/
- European Mahjong Association, Riichi Rules for Japanese Mahjong 2016 (PDF). http://mahjong-europe.org/portal/images/docs/Riichi-rules-2016-EN.pdf
- Kinma web, Mahjong tile types and readings. https://kinmaweb.jp/mahjong-rule/pai
- Tenhou, Manual (rules and ranks). https://tenhou.net/man/
- Kinma web, Dora. https://kinmaweb.jp/mahjong-rule/dora
- Kinma web, Calls (chii and pon). https://kinmaweb.jp/mahjong-rule/naki
- Kotobank, Tenpai. https://kotobank.jp/word/%E8%81%B4%E7%89%8C-578769
- Kinma web, Furiten. https://kinmaweb.jp/mahjong-yougo/furiten
- Kinma web, Exhaustive and abortive draws. https://kinmaweb.jp/mahjong-rule/ryukyoku
- Kinma web, Noten penalty. https://kinmaweb.jp/mahjong-rule/notenbappu
- AMOS shop, AMOS COMPLETE GEAR. https://shop.taiyo-chemicals.co.jp/shopdetail/000000000032/
- Kotobank, Yakuman. https://kotobank.jp/word/%E5%BD%B9%E6%BA%80-743811
- Kinma web, Kuitan. https://kinmaweb.jp/mahjong-yougo/kuitan
- Kinma web, Haneman. https://kinmaweb.jp/mahjong-yougo/haneman
- Kinma web, Baiman. https://kinmaweb.jp/mahjong-yougo/baiman
- Kinma web, Counted yakuman. https://kinmaweb.jp/mahjong-yougo/kazoeyakuman
- Kinma web, Anpai (safe tiles). https://kinmaweb.jp/mahjong-yougo/anpai
- Kinma web, Kabe (wall). https://kinmaweb.jp/mahjong-yougo/kabe
- Japan Health Mahjong Association, International (Chinese) rules. https://kenko-mahjong.com/kokusai.php
- National Mah Jongg League, The Game. https://www.nationalmahjonggleague.org/game.aspx
- National Mah Jongg League. https://www.nationalmahjonggleague.org/
- I Love Mahj, Tiles used in American Mah Jongg. https://ilovemahj.com/mah-jongg-question/641/what-tiles-are-used-in-american-mah-jongg-and-how-many-of-each-are-there
- AMOS shop, AMOS BEGIN tiles. https://shop.taiyo-chemicals.co.jp/shopdetail/000000000029/
- AMOS shop, AMOS SMART tiles. https://shop.taiyo-chemicals.co.jp/shopdetail/000000000030/
- AMOS shop, JP-EX COLOR. https://shop.taiyo-chemicals.co.jp/shopdetail/000000000044/
- AMOS shop, AMOS MASTERS tiles. https://shop.taiyo-chemicals.co.jp/shopdetail/000000000031/
- AMOS shop, Mahjong Soul hand-play set. https://shop.taiyo-chemicals.co.jp/shopdetail/000000000082/
- AMOS shop, Hand-play tables and tiles. https://shop.taiyo-chemicals.co.jp/shopbrand/ct7/
- AMOS shop, JP-DG. https://shop.taiyo-chemicals.co.jp/shopdetail/000000000072/
- AMOS (Taiyo Giken), Company site. https://amos-taiyo.com/
- AMOS, JP2 automatic table. https://amos-taiyo.com/product/jp2/
- AMOS shop, JP2. https://shop.taiyo-chemicals.co.jp/shopdetail/000000000003/
- AMOS, JP-EX COLOR automatic table. https://amos-taiyo.com/product/jpexcolor/
- AMOS, REXX III commercial table. https://amos-taiyo.com/product/amosrexx3/
- Kotobank, Janso (mahjong parlor). https://kotobank.jp/word/%E9%9B%80%E8%8D%98-287721
- e-Gov, Amusement Business Act Article 2. https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/api/1/articles;lawNum=%E6%98%AD%E5%92%8C%E4%BA%8C%E5%8D%81%E4%B8%89%E5%B9%B4%E6%B3%95%E5%BE%8B%E7%AC%AC%E7%99%BE%E4%BA%8C%E5%8D%81%E4%BA%8C%E5%8F%B7;article=2
- National Police Agency, Amusement businesses in 2024 (PDF). https://www.npa.go.jp/bureau/safetylife/hoan/jinshintorihiki/R6fuuzokukannkeijihanntorisimarijyoukyou.pdf
- e-Gov, Penal Code Article 185. https://laws.e-gov.go.jp/api/1/articles;lawNum=%E6%98%8E%E6%B2%BB%E5%9B%9B%E5%8D%81%E5%B9%B4%E6%B3%95%E5%BE%8B%E7%AC%AC%E5%9B%9B%E5%8D%81%E4%BA%94%E5%8F%B7;article=185
- Japan Health Mahjong Association, About health mahjong. https://kenko-mahjong.com/about.php
- Japan Health Mahjong Association. https://kenko-mahjong.com/
- Japan Professional Mahjong League, About. https://www.ma-jan.or.jp/activity.html
- Japan Professional Mahjong League. https://www.ma-jan.or.jp/
- M.League, Launch announcement (2018-07-17). https://m-league.jp/anounce-of-m-league-launched/
- M.League, Teams. https://m-league.jp/teams/
- World Riichi Championship, History. https://www.worldriichi.org/history
- Tenhou, Top page. https://tenhou.net/
- Steam, Mahjong Soul. https://store.steampowered.com/app/2739990/Mahjong_Soul/
- Kinma web, Akagi (series overview). https://kinmaweb.jp/manga/akagi
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