Riichi Mahjong: Japanese Mahjong Rules & Guide
Fast-paced Japanese style with strategic declarations and complex scoring
Last updated: Jan 2, 2026
What Is Riichi Mahjong?
Riichi Mahjong (also called Japanese Mahjong) is the most popular form of mahjong in Japan and has gained worldwide popularity through anime, manga, and competitive play. It's known for its strategic depth, the titular 'riichi' declaration, and the use of dora bonus tiles.
The game features a complex but elegant scoring system based on 'han' (scoring multipliers) and 'fu' (minipoints). Yaku are the specific winning patterns that award han. Unlike other variants, you must have at least one yaku to win - simply completing your hand isn't enough.
Riichi Mahjong has a thriving competitive scene with professional leagues in Japan and international tournaments. Popular apps like Mahjong Soul and Tenhou have introduced millions of new players to this exciting variant.
Key Features
What Are the Rules of Riichi Mahjong?
Riichi mahjong is played with 136 tiles by 4 players. Each player builds a hand of 4 sets and 1 pair, but must include at least one yaku (valid pattern) to win. The game features strategic declarations like riichi, dora bonus tiles, and a scoring system combining han and fu.
Hand Structure
A winning hand typically has 4 groups (sets of 3) and 1 pair, totaling 14 tiles. Groups can be triplets (pungs), quads (kongs), or sequences (chows). Exceptions include Seven Pairs (7 pairs, no groups) and Thirteen Orphans (one of each terminal and honor plus one duplicate).
Yaku Requirement
Every winning hand must contain at least one yaku (valid pattern). Common yaku include: Riichi (1 han), Tanyao/All Simples (1 han), and Yakuhai/Value Tiles (1 han).
Declaring Riichi
When your hand is closed (no called tiles) and one tile from winning, you can declare 'Riichi!', place 1,000 points on the table, and discard sideways. This locks your hand but gives bonuses.
Dora Bonus
A face-up tile in the dead wall is the dora indicator. The NEXT tile in sequence is the actual dora tile — for example, if the indicator is a 6-pin, the dora is a 7-pin. Each dora in your winning hand adds 1 han. Riichi winners can also reveal ura-dora from under the indicator.
How Does Riichi Mahjong Scoring Work?
Riichi scoring uses han (value multipliers) and fu (minipoints):
Han Sources:
• Yaku patterns (1-13 han each)
• Dora tiles (1 han each)
• Red fives (1 han each, if used)
Common Point Values:
• 1 han 30 fu = 1,000 points (from non-dealer)
• 2 han 30 fu = 2,000 points
• 3 han 30 fu = 3,900 points
• Mangan (5 han) = 8,000 points
• Haneman (6-7 han) = 12,000 points
• Yakuman (13+ han) = 32,000 points (limit)
What Are the Best Riichi Mahjong Strategies?
- 1.Learn the basic yaku first: Riichi, Tanyao, and Yakuhai — these cover most winning hands
- 2.Balance speed and value — sometimes sacrificing a turn or two for extra han or dora is worth it
- 3.Watch discards carefully to avoid furiten and read opponents' hands
- 4.Declaring riichi is usually the right play when you're ready — the bonuses outweigh the risk in most situations
- 5.Defense is crucial: know when to fold and play safe tiles
Fun Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Styles
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