We just returned from a whirlwind two-week visit to Japan, and visions of fantastic food and strange (to us) board games still swirl around in our head. What is the board game scene there like? What was it like shopping for games whose titles and descriptions we couldn't read, but whose art was so, so pretty? We teamed up with Monique and Naveen of Before You Play, who happened to tour Japan at the same time we did, to relive our amazing adventures.

Timeline:

• 3:54 - Naveen's game pick: Let's Go! To Japan.
• 9:48 - Monique's game pick: Hanamikoji.
• 15:11 - Christina's game pick: Rumble Nation.
• 19:03 - Christina's topic: attending the Tokyo Game Market.
• 34:58 - Naveen's topic: Japanese vs. Western board games.
• 46:56 - Monique's topic: Japanese-themed games -- just how accurately thematic are they?