29/10/2026
Researchers surveying a Mongol invasion shipwreck off Takashima in Matsuura City, Nagasaki Prefecture, have found gaming pieces believed to be the origin of mahjong. The survey team, working about 17 metres underwater since October 2, uncovered dice and gaming tiles from a Chinese game regarded as the origin of mahjong in the stern of a third wrecked ship.
The surviving stern section measures about 15 metres long, making the vessel among the largest of the three Mongol invasion ships found in the area so far. Kokugakuin University professor Eishi Ikeda said the pieces are the first of their kind ever found at the site, and noted that most finds relate to daily life on board rather than weapons. The team said the discovery offers a rare glimpse into the everyday lives of the people aboard the fleet that sailed to Japan nearly 750 years ago.
