# Onitama

Onitama is a board game for 2 players. It plays in 15–20 minutes and is meant for ages 10 and up. It is rated 6.9 out of 10 by 84 Ludoya reviewers. The cheapest copy in stock is $24.99 (United States).

- **Players:** 2
- **Playing time:** 15–20 minutes
- **Minimum age:** 10+
- **Complexity:** 1.7 out of 5
- **Year published:** 2014
- **Categories:** Abstract Strategy
- **Mechanics:** Grid Movement, Static Capture, Hand Management, Pattern Movement, Square Grid
- **Ludoya rating:** 6.9 out of 10, from 84 reviews
- **Owned by:** 170 Ludoya players
- **Plays logged on Ludoya:** 1,018
- **Unique players:** 368

**Designers:** Shimpei Sato

**Artists:** Mariusz Szmerdt, Jun Kondo

## Where to buy in United States

| Shop | Price | Link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Gamers Guild AZ | 24.99 $ | https://gamersguildaz.com/products/onitama-board-games |
| Cardhaus Games | 26.99 $ | https://www.cardhaus.com/onitama/ |
| Miniature Market | 27.99 $ | https://www.miniaturemarket.com/awgdte02ona.html |
| 401 Games | 39.95 $ | https://store.401games.ca/products/onitama |
| Gameslore | 28.49 £ | https://www.gameslore.com/board-games/abstract-games/onitama-board-game.html |
| Juegos de la Mesa Redonda | 21.21 € | https://juegosdelamesaredonda.com/5754-onitama-castellano-0712038959044.html |
| La Gameria | 22.95 € | https://gameria.es/juegos-de-mesa/onitama-355.html |
| Ludifolie | 28.9 € | https://www.ludifolie.com/5298-onitama.html |
| Uplay | 29.99 € | https://www.uplay.it/it/gioco-da-tavolo-onitama--edizione-tedesca-.html |
| Good Games | 50.71 $ | https://www.goodgames.com.au/products/onitama |
| Travelling Man | 27.99 £ | https://travellingman.com/products/onitama |
| Hyggeonkel | 249.95 kr | https://www.hyggeonkel.dk/produkt/onitama |
| Zatu Games | 29.99 £ | https://zatu.com/products/onitama |
| Get Your Fun | 34.99 € | https://www.getyourfun.it/035708-onitama-giochi-per-2-giocatori.html |
| Games Empire | 56.99 $ | https://gamesempire.com.au/products/onitama |
| World of Board Games | 399 kr | https://www.worldofboardgames.com/onitama |
| Svet deskovych her | 870 Kč | https://www.svet-deskovych-her.cz/produkty/4985/onitama-en |
| Spielezar | 34.9 Fr. | https://www.spielezar.ch/abstrakte-spiele/onitama |
| Alphaspel | 429 kr | https://alphaspel.se/491-bradspel/61426-onitama |
| Fantasiapelit | 38.5 € | https://www.fantasiapelit.com/index.php?main=ai&kat=single&mista=indeksi&etsittava=_168535 |
| Gameology | 63.95 $ | https://www.gameology.com.au/products/onitama |
| Spilforsyningen | 339.95 kr | https://spilforsyningen.dk/products/onitama |

## Expansions

- [Onitama: Sensei's Path](https://www.ludoya.com/games/onitama-senseis-path)
- [Onitama: Way of the Wind](https://www.ludoya.com/games/onitama-way-of-the-wind)
- [Onitama: Light and Shadow](https://www.ludoya.com/games/onitama-light-and-shadow)
- [Onitama: Phoenix and Turtle Promo Cards](https://www.ludoya.com/games/onitama-phoenix-and-turtle-promo-cards)
- [Onitama: Kumo and Sasori Promo Cards](https://www.ludoya.com/games/onitama-kumo-and-sasori-promo-cards)
- [Onitama: Goat and Sheep Promo Cards](https://www.ludoya.com/games/onitama-goat-and-sheep-promo-cards)
- [Onitama: Steer and Lobster Promo Cards](https://www.ludoya.com/games/onitama-steer-and-lobster-promo-cards)
- [Onitama: Hornet and Centipede Promo Cards](https://www.ludoya.com/games/onitama-hornet-and-centipede-promo-cards)
- [Onitama: Mejika and Okija Promo Cards](https://www.ludoya.com/games/onitama-mejika-and-okija-promo-cards)
- [Onitama: Cat and Serow Promo Cards](https://www.ludoya.com/games/onitama-cat-and-serow-promo-cards)
- [Onitama: Moth and Butterfly Promo Cards](https://www.ludoya.com/games/onitama-moth-and-butterfly-promo-cards)
- [Onitama: Sensei's Path et Way of the Wind](https://www.ludoya.com/games/onitama-senseis-path-et-way-of-the-wind)
- [Onitama: Whale and Cricket Promo Cards](https://www.ludoya.com/games/onitama-whale-and-cricket-promo-cards)
- [Onitama: Nessie Promo Card](https://www.ludoya.com/games/onitama-nessie-promo-card)
- [Onitama: Box Espansioni](https://www.ludoya.com/games/onitama-box-espansioni)

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## Rules questions

### Are the moves on a spirit card rotated depending on which side I'm playing, or are they absolute on the board?

Movement patterns on spirit cards are applied relative to the player whose turn it is (they face the player who uses them), so you do not rotate the card—use the pattern from your side of the board (page 1).

### What happens to a spirit card after I use it—do I discard it? How do the cards move between players?

When you play one of your two spirit cards, perform the move, then place the card you played into the center as the neutral card and take the neutral card into your hand, so the three cards rotate between players (page 1).

### How do I win the game?

There are two immediate win conditions: capture the opponent’s Master piece, or move your Master onto the opponent’s Temple Arch square; achieving either ends the game instantly (page 1).

### Can I move onto a square already occupied by my own pawn?

No; a legal move must land on an empty square or on a square occupied by an opponent’s pawn (in which case you capture it), you cannot move onto a square occupied by your own piece (page 1).

### What if I have no legal moves on my turn—do I skip or lose?

If, on your turn, you have no legal move available using either of your spirit cards, you lose the game (page 1).

### If I capture the opponent’s Master, does the card rotation still happen or is the game over immediately?

The game ends immediately when the opponent’s Master is captured, so no further card rotation or actions occur after that capture (page 1).

## Links

- [This page](https://www.ludoya.com/games/onitama)
- [Onitama in the Ludoya app](https://app.ludoya.com/g/onitama)
- [BoardGameGeek entry](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/160477)

_Data from Ludoya, updated 2026-09-19. Ratings, ownership and play counts are Ludoya's own._
