Hako Onna

What is Hako Onna

Hako Onna is a game of horror hide-and-seek. One player plays the “Hako Onna” (the Woman in the Box), and the rest are “Visitors”, who are trying to escape from the mansion. As Visitors, you’ll try not to make noise as you search the shadowy rooms of the mansion for items to protect yourself, for information, and for a way to escape what you do not see, but know is there. But if you stumble upon the Hako Onna, you’re dead. Players who discover the Hako Onna become a Hakobito, one of her servants, and wake up with her to move throughout the house.

During most of Hako Onna's turn, the human players must keep their eyes closed so they cannot see where she moves to or what action she has done. The game also features a unique optional dexterity element that adds to the game's overall tension and dread. Before a visitor can take their turn, they need to avoid making noise by stacking a small disc on top the previous ones; if the tower collapses, they've made noise and it instantly becomes Hako Onna's turn.

Hako Onna can win the game in two ways:

If all visitors are turned into Hakobito, or

Game details

Players

3–5

Age

+10

Duration

120 min

Difficulty

Medium

Type

Board game

Year

2016

Mechanics

Point to Point Movement · Secret Unit Deployment · Team-Based Game

Categories

Action / Dexterity · Deduction · Exploration

Designer

江神 号 (Go Ejin)

Publisher

Underdog Games (II) · Ejin 研究所 (Ejin Kenkyuujyo) · Mysterious Island Games · WizKids (I)