I tried to sort a bit by how strong the Asian aspects of the theme are … but it’s difficult.
- Pax Pamir–Afghan history gets the Pax treatment
- John Company–(have only played a learning game, I feel inadequate to provide a hot-take)
- Let’s Go! To Japan–cozy travel planing
- Formosa Tea–tea themed worker placement
- IKI–something something trade (have yet to play but own the expansion! Go me!)
- Ghost Stories–a Chinese village becomes overrun by ghosts (inevitably)
- Kanagawa–create beautiful paintings. Cozy and pretty.
- Kabuto Sumo–insect wrestling
- Izayoi–a small KS I backed and never managed to play, something about giving an receiving presents
- Shinjuku–shopping in Tokyo
- Chu Han–Tom Lehmann does Chinese court intrigue with cards
- Yamataï–build up the mythical lands. Recommended by Zee. I traded for it and have yet to play years later. But it sure looks pretty
- Miyabi–build a beautiful Japanese garden by stacking tiles (by Haba!)
- Nekojima–beware the fat cat pulling down all the powerlines
- Hanabi–create beautiful fireworks without communicating
- Sushi Go!–beware the pudding moguls
- Dorfromantik: Sakura–certainly prettier than the original Dorf. Still Dorf though. But cherry blossoms.
- edit: Mottainai–I haven’t played often enough to realize the theme was… Asian (oops)
Excluded:
- I haven’t included Babylonia, Polynesia because I am not sure they are included in “East Asia”
- games I don’t own any more like Samurai, Tokaido, Hanamikoji and Alubari.
- games like Imperium:Foo that have a few Asian elements but aren’t predominantly set in Asia.
- games by Asian designers like Newsboys, In Front of the Elevators, Aqua Garden
- edit: anticipated games with Asian themes like Koi (looks sooo pretty)
- edit2: games I hope will eventually be released in a new edition for me to acquire with or without cherry blossoms and picnics (Samurai)