Pokémon meets Goita, a traditional game from the Noto region

A New Twist on a Traditional Game Born in a Noto Fishing Village

“Pokémon Goita” is a board game that fuses Pokémon with “Goita,” a traditional Japanese board game that was born in the fishing village of Ushitsu in Noto, Ishikawa Prefecture.

Goita dates back to the late Edo Period, when local fishermen played with handmade wooden tiles during their downtime, such as when they couldn’t set sail or after coming back from sea, as a way to unwind. For generations, communities across the Noto region have preserved this traditional game.

Traditionally, the joy and rules of the game were passed down from child to child through intergenerational interaction. Over time, however, this tradition began to fade. To address this, In 1999, local volunteers founded the Noto Goita Preservation Society to pass the tradition on to younger generations through elementary school workshops and regional tournaments. Today, the society operates eight branches nationwide, dedicated to the game of Goita.

A Pokémon staff member took notice of the clever game design of Goita which has led to the birth of “Pokémon Goita”.

“I heard about how well this game called Goita was and decided to try it myself. You have to find a way to win using limited clues based on your hand and the tiles on the board. The fun two-on-two cooperative battles really drew me in.” 

Four players compete in pairs, sitting opposite to their partners in two-on-two teams. The rules are simple: Players place tiles matching the design of the one that comes up on the board, working to clear their eight-tile hands. Team of the first player to clear their hand scores points, and rounds continue until one team reaches 150 points to win the game.

Highlighting the appeal of this game played for over a century, one member of the Noto Goita Preservation Society notes:

“Players read the room, bluff, and try to figure out which tiles each player has and which are still hidden on the board. It’s a surprisingly deep, strategy-heavy game considering how fast each round plays out.”

Honoring the Original Goita and Thoughtfulness in Design Precision

During the development of Pokémon Goita, the Noto Goita Preservation Society’s greatest wish was “to deliver the timeless appeal of Goita”. 

The challenge was how to translate the simple yet strategic rules of Goita into an intuitive board game experience through Pokémon.

From a design perspective, the team prioritized functionality while weaving in the world of Pokémon in a way that complements the gameplay.

As a Pokémon staff member explains, “To convey point values of the shogi-like tiles at a glance, we customized the Poké Ball designs and color schemes for each tier of points. As Goita is a traditional board game, we have matched Pokémon to each tile's characteristics.”

The tile artwork incorporates names of the original tiles of Goita and also retains the classic shape of Goita tiles.

Recounting the design process, one staff member shares, “We tested about 30 combinations of size, thickness, and shape. Traditional Goita tiles are only a few centimeters across, so we worked hard to find the best size that felt high quality while also being easy for children to handle.”

The final product earned high praise from the Noto Goita Preservation Society, which supervised the project.
“The design does a great job of showing the spirit of both Pokémon and Goita. I think it’s really well made. You can feel their genuine respect for Noto as the birthplace of this game in the workmanship.”

Designed with Beginners in Mind

While faithfully preserving the traditional rules, Pokémon Goita also introduces numerous beginner-friendly features.

The included playmat features hand combinations and tile guides alongside the basic rules, printed diagonally so players at all four seats can read the information easily. There are also guides to place tiles and many more, making the game intuitive for new players.

Furthermore, to help newcomers learn the rules, an official free tutorial app was also released for mobile devices. Through interactive tutorials and practice matches, players can ease into the flow of the game, which widens the doorway to the physical board game.

The Growing Reach of Goita

The release of Pokémon Goita continues to garner enthusiastic responses across various regions.

When the game debuted at “Game Market,” Japan’s largest tabletop gaming convention held twice a year, board game enthusiasts reacted with surprise at the unexpected pairing of Pokémon and Goita.

“It might be because many enthusiasts were already familiar with Goita, but the response was overwhelmingly positive,” noted a Pokémon staff member.
The Noto Goita Preservation Society also notices an unprecedented surge in interest:

“Until now, Goita was known primarily to locals and board game fans. But since the debut of Pokémon Goita, the player pool has expanded to include educators, after-school organizers, Pokémon fans, and even people who are completely new to tabletop games. We've even been getting lots of media interview requests, and we're happily overwhelmed by the response.”

The Noto Goita Preservation Society has been holding regional workshops in local areas to grow the player base. Lately, Pokémon Goita has become a popular teaching tool in these classes thanks to its high appeal among children.

For these public events, the Pokémon team even made custom Pokémon Goita happi coats (traditional festival coats). Children spot them from a distance and exclaim, “Look! Pokémon!” helping to liven up the atmosphere.

We will continue to spread the joy and excitement of Goita for generations to come.