What Uchibacoya does

Uchibacoya Co., Ltd. is a privately held Japanese board game publisher founded in 2019 and headquartered in Kurume-shi, Japan. The company designs and publishes medium to heavyweight Euro-style strategy games defined by wooden token components, intricate narratives, and strategic depth. Its operating catalog spans four core franchises: the AquaGarden aquarium-management series with a base game and seven modular expansions; Sweet Lands, a heavyweight candy-kingdom city-builder; the Ostia Roman-themed Mancala-based strategy line (distributed via Crafty Games); and the Sapporo1876/Otaru1899 two-player Hokkaido development series, plus an upcoming Garden Trilogy (Aqua Garden 2nd Edition, Sky Garden, Dino Garden) that shares a common rule system across three titles.

The company has no proprietary technology platform; its digital footprint is a Shopify-hosted direct-to-consumer e-commerce store, a BoardGameGeek listing presence, YouTube how-to-play videos, and selected Tabletop Simulator digital adaptations. Manufacturing is outsourced and the business model is one-time unit sales of physical games with no recurring software component. Prices range from $2.00 for mini-expansions to $84.55 for the Sweet Lands base game, with optional upgrade packs (e.g., metal coins, premium sleeves, dual-layer boards) layered on top.

Uchibacoya's go-to-market is crowdfunding-first: games are validated and pre-ordered via Kickstarter (Sweet Lands raised $710,000 in November 2024) and then moved into retail through the company's own North American store (launched February 2025) and partner distributors. The customer base is individual board game hobbyists and collectors in Japan and North America — a long-tail, persona-driven segment with no enterprise customers. The company is founder-led, appears bootstrapped, and operates with a small in-house team covering design, development, artwork, and Japanese customer support.

Name

Uchibacoya

Legal name

UCHIBACOYA Co., Ltd.

Website

https://store.uchibacoya.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Uchibacoya Co., Ltd. is a Japanese board game publisher founded in 2019 that designs and sells medium-to-heavyweight Euro-style strategy games — notably the AquaGarden series and Sweet Lands — to individual hobbyists and collectors in Japan and North America via Kickstarter and a Shopify direct-to-consumer store.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tabletop Board Games

NAICS

Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912), Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (459120)

SIC

Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)

akta.pro primary industry

Board Game & Puzzle Specialty Retailers (CRALALAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Strategy/Euro Board Games Retail (CRALALAC)

Keywords

• Board game publisher
• Tabletop strategy games
• Euro-style board games
• Hobby board games
• Board game design

Headquarters

HQ city

Higashi-kurume

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Board Game Sales: Primary revenue from selling physical board games and expansion packs directly to consumers through their Shopify e-commerce store. Revenue is one-time per product purchase with no recurring component. Products include base games, expansion packs, accessories, and upgrade packs. Sweet Lands alone achieved $710,000 on Kickstarter.
2. Kickstarter Crowdfunding: Games are launched and funded through Kickstarter campaigns before retail availability. This pre-order model provides capital for manufacturing and validates market demand. Sweet Lands was successfully funded at $710,000 on Kickstarter.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Uchibacoya is a Japanese board game publisher that designs, develops, and sells medium-to-heavyweight Euro-style strategy board games featuring signature wooden tokens. The company publishes its own portfolio of base games (AquaGarden, Sweet Lands, Sapporo1876, Ostia) along with modular expansion packs and accessory upgrades, sold directly to consumers through a North American Shopify e-commerce store and launched via Kickstarter crowdfunding campaigns.

Product overview

Uchibacoya is a Japanese board game publisher specializing in medium to heavyweight Euro-style strategy games. The company offers a portfolio of standalone base games and modular expansion systems across multiple game franchises. The core products include: (1) AquaGarden series - an aquarium management game with 6 expansion packs (Beachcombing, Outdoor, Sea Jewelry, Sea Kings, New Facility, Sea Mimicry, Seaside Cottage) plus the upcoming 2nd Edition; (2) Sweet Lands - a candy-themed city-building Eurogame with upgrade pack accessories; (3) Sapporo & Otaru - a two-player Hokkaido development series with solo and ambition expansion modules; (4) Ostia - a Roman-themed Mancala-based strategy game with three expansion packs (Patoronus, Merchant, Pirates) and accessory upgrades (Dual Layer Boards, Metal Treasure Set); (5) Garden Trilogy - an upcoming three-game series (Aqua Garden 2nd Edition, Sky Garden, Dino Garden) sharing a common rule system with wooden tokens. The company also offers metal coin and accessory upgrades across game lines. All products feature wooden token components, intricate strategic depth, and thematic narratives. The company sells primarily through its North American e-commerce store (Shopify) and distributes via Kickstarter for new releases.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AquaGarden A strategy board game where players collect fish to create unique aquariums across six tanks with limited oxygen and compatibility constraints, host feeding events to earn income, and use colorful wooden tokens. Supports 1-4 players, 60-90 minutes.
• AquaGarden Beachcombing Expansion Expansion introducing a beachcombing exhibit where players collect fish and items washed up on the beach including shells, bottles, shark teeth, and environmental debris, contributing to cleaning up the environment while running their aquarium.
• AquaGarden Outdoor Expansion 01 Expansion introducing outdoor water tanks and advanced fish tokens including Dolphin, Sea Lion, Orca, Whale, and Jellyfish. Languages: Japanese, English.
• AquaGarden Sea jewelry Expansion 02 Expansion introducing advanced fish tokens: Coelacanth, Sea Otter & Scallop, and Clione. Languages: Japanese, English.
• AquaGarden Sea Kings Expansion 03 Expansion introducing advanced marine creatures: Giant Squid, Oarfish, Sea Urchin, and Blue Tang.
• AquaGarden New Facility Expansion 04 Expansion introducing celebrities to the aquarium with new tanks. Introduces advanced fish tokens: Finless porpoise, Long north hawkfish, Nautilus, Additional sea Weed. 40-60 min, 1-4 Players, Age 15+.
• AquaGarden Sea Mimicry Expansion 05 Expansion introducing advanced fish tokens: Red seahorse, Leafy sea dragon, Butterflyfish, Moray eel.
• AquaGarden Seaside Cottage Expansion 06 Expansion introducing advanced fish tokens: Hermit crab, Hammerhead shark, Trunkfish, Lavender nudibranch. Requires AquaGarden base game and Beachcombing expansion.
• Sweet Lands Heavyweight Euro-style board game set in a kingdom of confectionery where players build cities and compete to become the new ruler. Features over 200 cards, 14 unique characters, and 449 wooden tokens. 100-200 min playtime, Age 14+. Raised $710,000 on Kickstarter.
• Sweet Lands Upgrade Pack Upgrade pack containing 210x Premium card sleeves, 1x Skill tiles inner tray, and 28x Character sweeples. Requires Sweet Lands base game. Languages: English, Japanese.
• Sapporo1876 Two-player strategy game set in 1870s Sapporo where players take on roles of feudal lords working for the municipal government, traveling between agricultural college, city hall, pioneer village, and foreign settlement to develop Sapporo and earn fame points. Japanese rulebook only.
• Otaru1899 Independent expansion for Sapporo1876 set in the 1890s. Players as regional samurai expand influence on Hokkaido through developing Otaru, expanding transportation network, land reclamation, and investment in buildings. Can be combined with Sapporo1876 for 2-4 players. Japanese rulebook only.
• Otaru1899 A Solo Expansion Solo mode expansion for Otaru1899 featuring robot opponent 'Inazo' with three adjustable difficulty levels. Requires Otaru1899 base game.
• Otaru1899 Ambition Expansion Module expansion themed around player ambitions. Fulfilling ambitions provides powerful effects that contribute to victory.
• Ostia Pirates Expansion Major expansion for Ostia introducing four new elements: Pirates (threat and profit opportunity), Trajan's Market (people's esteem), Supporters & Origins (allies), and Ostia Town (grand buildings). 100-120 min playtime. Note: Ostia base game must be purchased from Crafty Games.
• Ostia Patoronus Expansion Expansion themed on patron-client relationships in ancient Rome. Players seek protection from influential patrons who can set up banquets and introduce potential investors. Requires Ostia base game.
• Ostia Merchant Expansion Expansion based on Roman maritime trade. Aristocrats provide demands for business while offering honor in return. Players' voyages provide light of hope for Roman aristocrats who cannot row into the sea.
• Ostia Pirates New Supporters Mini-expansion adding two supporter tiles and two birthplace tiles for Ostia Pirates expansion.
• Ostia Pirates Dual Layer Board Four dual-layer boards preventing token slipping for smooth play with Pirates expansion.
• Ostia Base Game Dual Layer Board Eight dual-layer boards preventing token slipping for smooth play with the base set.
• Ostia Metal Treasure Set Premium metal treasure chests and Disgrace tokens for enhanced Ostia Pirates experience. 90-120 min playtime compatibility.
• Biohack Metal Coins

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Crafty GamescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCrafty Games serves as the primary distributor for Uchibacoya's Ostia game series. The Uchibacoya online store explicitly directs customers to purchase the Ostia series from Crafty Games, indicating a dedicated channel partnership for this product line.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Leder Games: Publisher of heavyweight Euro-style games (Root, Oath). Comparable product category (premium hobbyist Euro games), similar Kickstarter/DTC go-to-market, and overlap in target customer (dedicated hobbyists).
• Stonemaier Games: US-based publisher of premium Euro-style strategy games (Wingspan, Scythe). Directly comparable to Uchibacoya's medium-to-heavyweight Euro focus, premium component identity, and Kickstarter-validated launches with global DTC distribution.
• Oink Games: Tokyo-based board game publisher known for small-box Euro-style and party games with strong component design. Closely comparable to Uchibacoya as a Japanese publisher targeting international hobbyist markets with Kickstarter and DTC channels.
• Greater Than Games: Publisher of strategy Euro and thematic games (Scythe-via-Stonemaier-adjacent, Spirit Island). Overlaps on hobbyist Euro focus and Kickstarter launches with a DTC storefront.
• Capstone Games: Publisher of high-end Euro-style games with substantial component counts. Comparable on product profile (heavyweight Euro, premium wooden/meeples components) and on premium DTC pricing strategy.
• Eagle-Gryphon Games: Specialist in Euro and family strategy games with strong component focus. Directly comparable in product category, customer segment, and DTC plus distribution-channel mix.

Regional players

• HeidelBÄR Games: Germany-based publisher and distributor of Euro-style hobby games. Comparable in product category, but primarily serves the European market, which is currently a gap in Uchibacoya's shipping footprint.
• Devir Games: Spanish/Latin American publisher and distributor of Euro games. Similar product focus on Euro-style hobby games, with comparable DTC plus retail distribution model, but primarily serving Iberia and Latin America.

Broad incumbents

• CMON: Larger established hobby-game publisher with broad Euro and thematic catalog. Comparable product line and global distribution, but a much larger incumbent rather than a niche specialist.

Emerging players

• Bezier Games: Indie US publisher of Euro and party games (Ultimate Werewolf, Villainous). Comparable as a smaller publisher with Kickstarter launches and a niche enthusiast catalog, though broader product scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/uchibacoya
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCRP-HXcjquTlPvFHOxLHtHw
• Facebookfacebook.com/uchibacoya
• Instagraminstagram.com/uchibacoya

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Uchibacoya