Local yaku

Local Yakus 「ローカル役」 are the yaku not used in the standard ruleset of Japanese mahjong. Some of them used to be in general ruleset, they are also known as Ancient Yakus 「古役（こやく）」. The list is extensive. This page will only record some of them, which will remain incomplete.

One-han yakus

Tsubame gaeshi

Tsubame gaeshi 「燕返し」 (lit. Swallow Reversal / Return) is a yaku for claiming a winning hand on opponent's riichi declaration tile.

• Value: 1 han
• Example:
  • Opponent: , Discarded and claimed riichi
  • Self: , Ron:
• Trivia:
  • Tsubame Gaeshi is a famous technique of the legendary Japanese swordsman, Kojirou Sasaki.
  • Sometimes Tsubame gaeshi also refers to a cheating techinique of mahjong, which is not related to the yaku. In this case, it means to swap tiles quickly between the wall in front of the player and his starting hand right after finishing haipai.

Shiiaru raotai

Shiiaru raotai 「十二落抬」 (lit. Twelve tiles falling down) is a hand with 4 melded sets waiting for a single tile (tanki). Also known as Suufuuro tanki「四副露単騎」 (lit. Four-melded single-wait).

Usually restricted to ron-only, but sometimes tsumo is also allowed under some specific rulesets.

Depending on rulesets, variation exists between allowing ankan or not.

• Value: 1 han
• Example: , Ron:

Kanburi

Kanburi / Kanfuri 「槓振り」 is a yaku for claiming a winning hand on opponent's discarding tile right after they claimed a kan.

The winning tile is not required to be the tile exactly drawn from rinshan; that being said, as long as an opponent does a kan and discards a deal-in tile immediately, the yaku is automatically achieved.

• Value: 1 han

Sangen chiitoitsu / Suushi chiitoitsu

Sangen chiitoitsu 「三元七対子」 / Suushi chiitoitsu 「四喜七対子」 is a chiitoitsu hand containing all of three different pairs of sangenpai / four different pairs of kazehai correspondingly.

• Value: 1 han (actually worths 3 han based on chiitoitsu's 2 han)
• Examples:
  • , Ron: (Sangen chiitoitsu)
  • , Tsumo: (Suushi chiitoitsu)

Uushin tsuukan

Uushin tsuukan 「五心通貫」 is a specific ikkitsuukan hand with a kanchan wait of 5 on its straight part. That being said, a hand containing an identical suit of 123-46-789 waiting for 5.

• Value: Usually 1 additional han based on ittsuu.
• Examples: , Ron:

Two-han yakus

Sanrenkou

Sanrenkou 「三連刻」 (lit. Three consecutive triplets) is a hand with three triplets in identical suit where their number is increased by 1.

• Value: 2 han
• Example: , Agari:

A variation exists if the triplets are in different suits: Sanshoku renkou 「三色連刻」 (lit. Three-color consecutive triplets).

• Value: 2 han
• Example:

Sanshoku tsuukan

Sanshoku tsuukan 「三色通貫」 (lit. Three-color straight) is a hand containing shuntsus of 123, 456 and 789 both in different suits. Also called Sanshoku ittsuu 「三色一通」, or Hon ikkitsuukan 「混一気通貫」 (lit. Mixed straight).

• Value: 2 han (1 han when opened)
• Example: , Ron:

When their suits are identical, it becomes the standard yaku ikkitsuukan.

Kyandonhou

Kyandonhou 「鏡同和」 (Twice mixed double sequences, lit. Mirrored identities) is a hand containing two groups of identical shuntsus where their suits are different.

More specifically, the hand is built by: a sequence X in suit A, the sequence X in another suit B, another sequence Y in suit A, and the sequence Y in suit B. No restriction on the pair in general.

• Value: 2 han (closed-hand only, or allowing opened-hand with 1 han)
• Example:

When their suits are identical, it becomes the standard ryanpeikou hand.

Ryandoukou

Ryandoukou 「二同刻、両同刻」 (Twice double triplets) is a hand containing two groups of identical triplets (or quads) in two suits.

• Value: 2 han (actually 4 han based on toitoihou's 2 han)
• Example:

Choupaikou / Sujipaikou / Chousankou

Choupaikou 「跳牌刻」 / Sujipaikou 「筋牌刻」 / Chousankou 「頂三刻」 is a hand containing three triplets in identical suit, where the numbers are stepped by 2, 3 or 4 correspondingly.

• Value: Both are 2 han in general
• Examples:
  • , Ron: (Choupaikou)
  • (Sujipaikou)
  • (Chousankou)

A variation exists if those triplets are in three different suits: Sanshoku choupaikou 「三色跳牌刻」 / Sanshoku sujipaikou 「三色筋牌刻」 / Sanshoku chousankou 「三色頂三刻」.

• Value: 1 or 2 han
• Example: (Sanshoku choupaikou)

Suuzuukou

Suuzuukou 「四字刻」 (lit. Four honor triplets) is a hand containing four triplets (or quads) of honor tiles.

• Value: 2 han (actually at least 7 han based on toitoi, honitsu and at least one yakuhai)
• Example: , Ron:

Two-han and above

Open riichi

Open riichi 「オープンリーチ、開立直」 is a riichi hand while the full hand is revealed to their opponents after declaration.

• Value:
  • 2 han (supersedes the normal riichi)
  • Yakuman penalty in some variation for non-riichi players deliberately dealing-in.

A variation exist if the declaration is daburu riichi: Open double riichi 「オープンダブル立直」.

• Value: 3 han (supersedes the normal daburu riichi)

Isshoku sanjun

Isshoku sanjun / Iisou sanshun 「一色三順」 (lit. Pure triple sequences) is a hand built with three identical shuntsus, in both numbers and suit.

• Value:
  • 2 or 3 han
  • Closed only, or allowing opened-hand with 1-han decreased
  • Supercedes iipeikou
• Example: , Agari:

Sanpuukou / Otakaze sankou

Sanpuukou 「三風刻」 (lit. Three wind triplets) is a hand with three triplets of kazehais.

• Value: 2 han in general
• Example: , Ron:

A variation exists if all the three wind triplets are otakazes: Otakaze sankou 「客風三刻」 (lit. Three guest-wind triplets). It is only avaiable for the player with their seat wind identical to the current prevalent wind, e.g. East player in East round, or South player in South round, etc..

• Value: 2 or 3 han
• Example: (East round, East seat)

Uumensai

Uumensai / Uumenchi 「五門斉」 (lit. Five suits collected) is a yaku of containing all of 5 different suits in a hand: manzu, souzu, pinzu, kazehai and sangenpai.

• Value: 2 han; or 5 han / yakuman with more restrictions.
• Example: , Tsumo:

Depending on platforms and rule details, Uumensai may have different values. Generally speaking, 2-han version is the easiest one, while extra restriction is applied if the value is higher, such as:

• May limited in closed-hand only.
• May not allowed in chiitoitsu-form.
• Restricted choices on the pair and sets, e.g. Jihai-pair only / Toitoi-form only, etc.
• Cannot be stacked with kokushi musou if valued a yakuman.

Renkaihou

Renkaihou 「連開花」 (lit. Consecutive blossom) is a yaku achieved by winning a hand with rinshan tile after two consecutive kans.

• Value: 2 han (supercedes rinshan kaihou)
• Example:
  • 
      ↓ Declare daiminkan on kamicha's discard 7-man;
  • , Rinshan ,
      ↓ Declare kakan on rinshanpai 1-sou;
  • , Rinshan ,
      → Declare Tsumo on rinshanpai 2-sou.

Mondeikou

Mondeikou 「門泥公」 is a yaku used in 4-akadora mahjong rules. When a hand contains all four akadoras, Mondeikou is applied.

• Value:
  • 2 han (may decrease to 1 han when opened); or
  • Minus 4 han, which cancels out akadora's 4 han.
• Example:

Three-han and above

Ikkitsuukan chantaiyaochuu

Ikkitsuukan chantaiyaochuu 「一気通貫全帯么九」 (Pure straight with mixed outside-hand), as its literal meaning, is a hand built by a group of ittsuu sets and another group of chanta sets. That being said, aside from the shuntsu of 456 in ittsuu part, the rest of hand should satisfy the condition of chanta. Also called Ittsuu chanta 「イッツーチャンタ」 in short.

• Value: 3 han (2 han when opened, supercedes ittsuu)
• Example:

Similarly, if the rest of hand meets the condition of junchan, the hand will be upgraded to Jun ikkitsuukan chantaiyaochuu 「純一気通貫全帯么九」 (Pure straight with pure outside-hand).

• Value: 4 han (3 han when opened, supercedes ittsuu)
• Example:

Tanfonhou

Tanfonhou 「断紅和」 is a hand built by tiles without red. That being said, only the following tiles are available:

Pinzu of 2 / 4 / 8,

Souzu of 2 / 3 / 4 / 6 / 8,

All kazehai tiles, and

Sangenpai of haku / hatsu.

Such hand is available in chiitoitsu form.

• Value: 3 han (2 han when opened)
• Example:

In some ruleset, Tanfonhou is split into two variants: the Hontanfon 「混断紅」 containing honor tiles, while the Chintanfon 「清断紅」 only built by numbered tiles.

• Value:
  • Hontanfon: 3 han (2 han when opened)
  • Chintanfon: 6 han (5 han when opened)
• Example: (Chintanfon)

Mangan

Kinkei dokuritsu

Kinkei dokuritsu / Chinchi dourii 「金鶏独立」 (lit. A golden rooster standing alone) is a four-melded hand waiting for 1-sou's hadaka tanki. Ankans are admitted. Also called Chinchiihou 「金鶏和」.

The pattern of 1-sou indicates the golden rooster, while the waiting pattern of hadaka-tanki refers to aloneness.

• Value: Mangan
• Example: , Agari:

Touchao hanchanshue

Touchao hanchanshue 「独釣寒江雪」 is a four-melded hand waiting for hadaka tanki of sangenpai haku. Ankans are admitted.

The pattern of haku indicates the snow, while the waiting pattern of hadaka-tanki refers to aloneness.

• Value: Mangan
• Example: , Agari:
• Trivia:
  • The name of yaku is a verse from the famous poem of Liu Zongyuan (柳宗元): River Snow 「江雪」. The verse literally means "Fishing alone in the cold river snow".

Uupin kaihou

Uupin kaihou / Uuton kaihou 「五筒開花」 is a specific rinshan kaihou hand with the pinzu of 5 as rinshanpai.

The pattern of 5-pin indicates the blossom.

• Value: Mangan
• Example: , Kan: , Rinshan tsumo:

Ryanzou chankan

Ryanzou chankan 「二索槍槓」 is a special chankan hand winning with souzu of 2.

The pattern of 2-sou indicates the spear.

• Value: Mangan
• Example: , Chankan ron:

Iipin mouyue

Iipin mouyue / Iiton mouyue 「一筒摸月」 is a special haitei raoyue hand with the pinzu of 1 as haiteihai. Also written as Iipin raoyue 「一筒撈月」.

The pattern of 1-pin indicates the moon.

• Value: Mangan
• Example: , Haitei tsumo:

Chuupin raoyui

Chuupin raoyui 「九筒撈魚」 is a special houtei raoyui hand with the pinzu of 9 as houteihai.

The pattern of 9-pin indicates a school of fish.

• Value: Mangan
• Example: , Houtei ron:

Mangan or above

Shanron chonchu

Shanron chonchu 「双竜争珠」 is a special kyandonhou hand with more restrictions:

The two groups of shuntsus are limited in manzu and souzu;

The head pair is restricted to pinzu;

The number of shuntsus cannot be overlapped, e.g. 234 + 456 is invalid.

As how the yaku name indicates, the pinzu pair is the ball, while two shuntsu groups are the two dragons battling for the ball.

• Value: Mangan in general
• Example:

Uncommonly found in some platform, this yaku values yakuman with restrictions of consecutive shuntsus and 5-pin as the pair.

• Value: Yakuman (may limited to closed-hand only)
• Example:

Chiishin uushii

Chiishin uushii 「七星無靠」 (lit. Seven-star unconnected) is a hand by collecting fourteen different tiles listed as follows:

Seven different tiles from 147 / 258 / 369 both in different suits;

All of seven different honor tiles (indicating the seven stars).

Unlike shiisan / shiisuu puutaa, this yaku is not restricted to starting-hand only.

• Value: Mangan or yakuman
• Examples:
  • , Wait:
  • , Wait:

Renhou

Main article: Renhou

Renhou 「人和」 (Humanly hand, Hand of man, Blessing of human) is a yaku achieved by a non-dealer player winning on a discard without self-drawing any tile.

Similar to tenhou and chiihou, any calling actions will nullify the yaku.

• Value: Mangan / Baiman / Yakuman
• Example: , Ron: (Turn 0).

Yakuman

Toukanhou

Toukanhou 「頭槓和」 (lit. First-kan win) is a yaku achieved by claiming a kan in the first turn and win with rinshan kaihou immediately.

Similarly to tenhou and chiihou, the yaku will be nullified with any preceding calling actions from the opponents.

Due to the required action of kan, this yaku is not available to combine with tenhou and chiihou.

Depending on rulesets, the type of kan may be limited to ankan-only, or can only be achieved by the dealer.

• Value: Yakuman

Shiisanpuutaa / Shiisuupuutaa

Shiisanpuutaa / Shiisanputou 「十三不塔」 (lit. Thirteen unconnected) is a special starting hand with none of the two tiles (in thirteen different tiles) can be formed as a taatsu, aside from exactly one pair.

• Value: Yakuman
• Example:

Likewise, if all the fourteen different tiles are mutually exclusive, this starting hand becomes Shiisanuushi 「十三無靠」. Sometimes also noted as Shiisuupuutaa / Shiisuuputou 「十四不塔」 (lit. Fourteen unconnected).

• Value: Yakuman
• Example:

Similar to tenhou and chiihou, these yakus are only recognized in the first turn of each player, and any calling actions will nullify the yaku.

Suurenkou

Suurenkou 「四連刻」 (lit. Four consecutive triplets) is a hand containing four triplets (or quads) in one suit where their numbers are increased by 1.

• Value: Yakuman
• Example: , Ron:

The rule of sekinin barai can be applied in this yakuman hand.

, last:, formers:

Toimen becomes liable for feeding the last required set: souzu of 4.

Suuchoupaikou

Suuchoupaikou 「四跳牌刻」 is a hand with four triplets (or quads) in one suit where their numbers are increased by 2.

• Value: Usually yakuman
• Example:

The rule of sekinin barai can be applied in this yakuman hand.

, last:, formers:

Shimocha becomes liable for feeding the last required set: souzu of 3.

Yakumans related to specific tiles

Kachoufuugetsu / Fuukasetsugetsu

Kachoufuugetsu 「花鳥風月」 is a hand built by four types of each triplets (or quads):

Hana 「花」 (Flower): Pinzu of 5

Tori 「鳥」 (Bird): Souzu of 1

Kaze 「風」 (Wind): Bakaze or jikaze

Tsuki 「月」 (Moon): Pinzu of 1

Likewise, Fuukasetsugetsu 「風花雪月」 is built by triplets (or quads) of Kaze (風), Hana (花), Tsuki (月) and:

Yuki 「雪」 (Snow): Sangenpai haku

No further restriction on picking the pair.

• Value: Both are yakuman
• Example:
  • , Tsumo: (Kachoufuugetsu)
  • , Ron: (Fuukasetsugetsu)
• Trivia:
  • Both Kachoufuugetsu (花鳥風月) and Fuukasetsugetsu (風花雪月) are idioms for describing a beautiful night landscape.

Yakumans related to tile color

Kouitten

Kouitten 「紅一点」 (lit. A little red) is a hand similar to ryuuiisou by replacing the sangenpai hatsu to the red one: sangenpai chun. Also called Ittenkou 「一点紅」.

The sangenpai chun is required to complete the hand, similarly to the early restriction on ryuuiisou.

• Value: Yakuman
• Example:
• Trivia:
  • The yaku name originates from the verse 「萬緑叢中紅一點」, lit. A little red in the greenery.

Benikujaku

Benikujaku 「紅孔雀」 (lit. Red peacock) is a hand only built by the red souzu tiles (souzu of 1, 5, 7 and 9) and sangenpai chun.

This yaku is harder than ryuuiisou and chinroutou, as it only contains five kinds of available tiles, and they can't perform any shuntsu.

• Value: Yakuman
• Example: , Agari:
• Trivia:
  • This yaku is derived from ryuuiisou, as it utilizes the tiles not used by ryuuiisou. It used to have a name Kouiisou 「紅一色」 (lit. All red), but it's vague due to the fact there're many other tiles also containing red. Hence, this hand is renamed with the peacock pattern of the 1-sou.

Kokuiisou

Kokuiisou / Heiiisou 「黒一色」 (lit. All black) is a hand built only by the black tiles: the pinzu of 2 / 4 / 6 and four kinds of kazehai.

The hand is available in either toitoi or chiitoi form.

• Value: Yakuman (or sanbaiman in some rules)
• Examples:
  • 
  • 

Ryuuiisourin / Kouittenrin

Ryuuiisourin 「緑一色輪」 is a hand similar to ryuuiisou by replacing the pair with the souzu of 5. Likewise, we get Kouittenrin 「紅一点輪」 by replacing the pair based on a kouitten hand.

Such hands are available in chiitoitsu form, as they both contain seven kinds of available tiles to build a hand.

• Value: Yakuman
• Example:
  • (Ryuuiisourin)
  • (Kouittenrin)

Yakumans related to specific things

Golden Gate Bridge

Golden Gate Bridge 「ゴールデンゲートブリッジ、金門橋」 is a hand containing all four shuntsus of 123, 345, 567 and 789 in one suit.

The yaku name is inspired from the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. The "pair"s of 33 / 55 / 77 indicates the piers of bridge, while the whole group of sequences with tiles from 1 to 9 indicates the bridge deck.

• Value: Yakuman
• Example: , Tsumo:

Depending on rulesets, different restrictions may be applied, such as:

• Closed-hand only
• Restricted in chinitsu-form only
• Head pair must be 5 in the same suit, which makes the hand even harder (may sometimes valued double yakuman in this case)
  • The stack of four 5-tiles indicates the structure of largest pier in the middle.

American Civil War

Nanboku sensou 「南北戦争」 (American Civil War) is a hand built with two triplets of South and North, a set of "1861" in identical suit, and a set of "1865" in another suit.

• Restriction:
  • Menzenchin only.
  • The triplet of South / North is usually not allowed to meld or claim as ankan.
  • The two groups of years are usually not allowed in a same suit.
• Value: Yakuman
• Example:
• Trivia:
  • The yaku originates from American Civil War. Two sets of numbers indicate its starting year 1861 and the ending year 1865, while two sets of honors indicate the two belligerents: southern United States and northern United States.
  • The yaku comes from American mahjong, which generally doesn't follow the pattern of traditional mahjong (multiple sets and a pair).

Tohoku Expressway

Touhoku jidoushadou 「東北自動車道」 (Tohoku Expressway) is a hand only using pinzu of 2 / 4 / 6 and kazehai of East / North.

The pinzu of 2 / 4 / 6 represents two-wheelers (二輪車), ordinary cars (普通車), and large cars (大型車) correspondingly.

• Value: Yakuman
• Example:
• Trivia:
  • This yaku is used in manga series Shounenjanki Higashi (少年雀鬼-東-).
  • The yaku comes into being in 1987, the year when the route of Tohoku Expressway between Kawaguchi JCT and Urawa IC is accomplished and fully opened.

Tohoku Shinkansen

Touhoku Shinkansen 「東北新幹線」 (Tohoku Shinkansen) is a hand built with kazehai East and North as the pair and a triplet, and an ikkitsuukan hand as the rest.

• Value: Yakuman (usually closed-hand only)
• Example:
• Trivia:
  • This yaku is considered to be designed in 1980s, when the rail line of Tohoku Shinkansen is completed and opened.
  • In some early version, the ittsuu part is limited into souzu-only, indicating the two-tone coloring style (green and white) used in early high-speed trains of 200 Series Shinkansen.
  • In some platform, this yaku is avaiable in an opened-hand with a value from mangan to baiman.

Blue Tunnel

Aonodoumon 「青ノ洞門」 (Ao no Domon, lit. Blue Tunnel) is a toitoi hand built with pinzu of 2 / 4 / 8, sangenpai hatsu, and one kind of arbitrary kazehai.

• Value: Yakuman
• Example:
• Trivia:
  • Ao no Domon is a tourist attraction in Yabakei gorge, now part of Nakatsu City, Oita Prefecture, in Japan.
  • This hand is invented by a Japanese author Kan Kikuchi, who recorded the stories about Ao no Domon in his book Onshuu no Kanata ni 「恩讐の彼方に」. He is also an avid player on mahjong.

Multiple yakuman

Chousangen

Chousangen 「超三元」 (lit. Super 3 dragons) is a hand containing all three quads of sangenpais.

• Value: Double yakuman
• Example: , Ron:

When chousangen is not recognized, such hand values single yakuman as daisangen.

Daichisei

Main article: Daichisei

Daichisei 「大七星」 (lit. Big seven stars) is a chiitoitsu hand containing all the seven kinds of honor tiles. Also called Jihai chiitoitsu 「字牌七対子」 (lit. Seven pairs of honors).

• Value: Double yakuman
• Example: , Ron:

When daichisei is not recognized, the hand values single yakuman as tsuuiisou.

Junsei ryuuiisou

Junsei ryuuiisou 「純正緑一色」 (lit. Pure all green) is an all-green hand built only with the souzu tile of 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8, which excludes hatsu.

• Value: Double yakuman
• Example: , Ron:

When junsei ryuuiisou is not recognized, the hand may value:

• Single yakuman as ryuuiisou
• 6 / 7 han as tanyao chinitsu, or 5 / 6 han as chinitsu-only with kuitan-nashi, if the variation of ryuuiisou requires hatsu must be contained in hand.

Chousuushi

Chousuushi 「超四喜」 (lit. Super 4 winds) is a hand containing all four quads of kazehais.

• Value: Triple or quadruple yakuman
• Example:

When chousuushi is not recognized, such hand values double or triple yakuman as daisuushi suukantsu.

External links

• 麻雀のローカル役

Local yaku in Japanese Wikipedia