A sensu is the term for a traditional Japanese folding fan, which has been used since the 8th-9th century (the so-called Heian period) for cooling, as a fashion accessory, and in ceremonial arts such as tea ceremonies, dance, and theatre (including the well-known Kabuki). These fans are made from wooden sticks (such as bamboo sticks, but often also hardwood ranging from native to exotic), combined with Japanese paper or fabric in all sorts of colours and with various decorations. In the eponymous game (Sensu), players try to build these beautiful fans.
In Sensu, players aim to assemble the most beautiful fans in different colours. Depending on the chosen mode (normal or advanced), players must either complete a certain number of fans or achieve a certain number of points. In my review, I will mainly discuss the scoring system of the advanced mode, but basically both versions are the same. The rules also include a solo mode for those who want to create fans in peaceful solitude.
In the normal mode, players must make a certain number of fans with exactly seven sticks, and the first player to succeed wins the game. In the advanced mode, players try to be the first to score fifteen points, which they do by making fans. For fans with exactly seven sticks, they earn five points; for a fan with more than seven sticks, they get three points. Points are also awarded for building fans in all colours and for collected action tokens.
Each player receives two cards at the start of the game, and then players begin constructing their fans. During their turn, players can draw two cards from the blind draw pile, after which they must discard a hand card. Each player has their own discard pile. Players may also take the top card from one of the open discard piles instead of drawing from the blind pile.
If players can play a set with an exact value of fifteen, they may place it in front of themselves. They may add the card with the most sticks to one of their fans. If the set also contains cards with the same colour or value, they may add one or two extra cards, but in this case, the cards with the fewest sticks.
In the advanced game, players also receive action tokens when they add a card with a value of three or four to one of their fans. These tokens are worth a point, but can also be used for actions, and these actions are quite useful.
This “new” version of Sensu appeared in 2025 and is a new edition of the game that won the Gioco Inedito competition in 2023, which originally resulted in a limited edition publication under the DV Games label. The old version from 2023 has slightly different rules and does not include an advanced game mode. As far as I’m concerned, Sensu is a very entertaining and highly thematic card game, so it’s only right that the original game is also an award winner. The advanced mode adds some much-needed extra dynamism and provides additional ways to achieve victory. The design of Sensu is truly fantastic: beautiful, high-quality cards and stunning artwork. The way the cards actually form a fan together adds a lovely thematic touch.
