Kenji Tanaka

About Kenji Tanaka

Kenji Tanaka is the editorial byline used across Mahjong Master. The byline covers riichi (Japanese) mahjong rules, all 43 yaku with their scoring values, glossary entries, beginner strategy, and platform/equipment reviews — with secondary coverage of American (NMJL) mahjong.

Areas of focus

• Yaku reference — han values, example hands, frequency in play, and the relationships between yaku categories.
• Glossary and terminology — Japanese terms with phonetic readings and English equivalents, organized for quick lookup during play.
• Beginner strategy — the path from "I don't know what a tile is" to "I can hold my own in Bronze rank on Mahjong Soul."
• Scoring — han plus fu, mangan thresholds, dora, and the practical mental shortcuts experienced players use at the table.
• Equipment buying guides — honest reviews of mahjong sets, books, and accessories. Affiliate disclosed where applicable.

Approach to writing about mahjong

Mahjong instruction in English suffers from two opposite failure modes: oversimplification that leaves players unable to play, and dense translations of Japanese sources that overwhelm beginners. Mahjong Master tries to thread that needle — explain the same rule once, clearly, with a worked example, and link to deeper reference content for readers who want it.

The site doesn't treat mahjong as either a casino game or an inscrutable cultural artifact. It's a strategy game with hundreds of years of accumulated wisdom and a small, learnable rule set. Most beginners can play a recognizable game within a single session. The goal of every page is to shorten that session.

Editorial principles

Every rules-related claim on Mahjong Master is verified against at least one canonical ruleset (EMA Riichi, NMJL annual card, or WRC). When rules differ between rulesets — as they often do — the page names the variant being used. Errors get fixed and the page's "last reviewed" date is updated.

Equipment reviews are honest about real downsides. We use Amazon Associates affiliate links on equipment pages, disclosed at the top of each page. Affiliate revenue does not change which products we recommend.

About this byline

Kenji Tanaka is a pen name used for editorial consistency across Mahjong Master's content. The pen name lets the site maintain a single voice while keeping the contributor(s) personal identities private. This is disclosed openly on every page where the byline appears.

For corrections or topic suggestions, email [email protected]. See the about page for full editorial standards and source list.