Tokaido: Crossroads & Matsuri

The cherry tree cards in this expansion finally give me a reason to slow down and not just race for the inns. The bathhouse stops are a nice touch too, my wife hoards those. Two games in and it's already staying in the box permanently.

We've played the base game dozens of times, and this expansion finally makes those side encounters feel truly meaningful. The calligraphy minigame is a clever little push-your-luck addition, and the new panorama cards give you a real reason to plan your route differently every round.

The hot spring bathhouses add such a chill new layer to the game — I love stopping there just for the zen of it. The cherry blossom tiles make every route feel more alive, and the extra encounters keep the pace fresh without slowing things down too much.