Virginia Beach, VA
Riichi Mahjong is the Japanese style of mahjong used in competitive play worldwide. Setting Sun VB is Virginia Beach's home for Riichi Mahjong — offering open play, beginner lessons, weekly workshops, and monthly ARA-certified tournaments.
New to Riichi Mahjong? Here's a beginner-friendly overview of the rules and core concepts. The best way to learn is to come in and play — our instructors are always happy to walk you through it.
A standard mahjong set has 136 tiles: 3 suited suits (Man, Pin, Sou — numbered 1–9, four copies each), 3 dragon tiles, 4 wind tiles, and sometimes red dora. You'll need to recognize all of them by sight.
A winning hand consists of 4 sets (sequences or triplets) + 1 pair. Sequences are 3 consecutive tiles in the same suit. Triplets are 3 identical tiles. The pair is 2 identical tiles.
Each turn, draw one tile from the wall and discard one tile face-up. You can also claim discards to complete a sequence (chi), triplet (pon), or quad (kan) — with some restrictions.
In Riichi Mahjong, your winning hand must have at least one yaku (a qualifying pattern). Without a yaku, you cannot declare a win. There are 30+ yaku — beginners typically start with Riichi, Tanyao, and Yakuhai.
Scoring is based on han (value multiplier from yaku) and fu (base points from hand structure). A 1-han hand is worth the least; mangan (5 han or high fu) and above have fixed payout values.
Riichi Mahjong has a dealing-in penalty system. If another player wins off your discard, you pay their hand value. Learning safe tiles and reading the table is half the game.
Yaku are the qualifying hand patterns you need to win. There are 30+ yaku, but beginners should focus on mastering these 6 first.
Declare riichi when you're tenpai with a closed hand. Adds 1 yaku and increases your hand's value.
An all-simples hand — no terminals (1s, 9s) or honor tiles. One of the most common and beginner-friendly yaku.
A hand with all sequences (no triplets), a non-yakuhai pair, and a two-sided wait. Must be closed.
A triplet of value tiles — dragons, seat winds, or round winds.
Two identical sequences in the same suit. Closed hand only.
Self-draw win. Adds 1 yaku when winning with a closed hand by drawing your own winning tile.
Want to learn all the yaku in depth? Book a lesson with our instructors.
Setting Sun VB is the premier destination for Riichi Mahjong in Virginia Beach and the wider Hampton Roads area. We have automated tile shuffler tables — the same style used in Japanese mahjong parlors — that make the game faster and more enjoyable. We host a monthly Riichi Mahjong tournament certified by the American Riichi Association (ARA). These are real competitive events with official rules and standings. Whether you're aiming to compete at the national level or just want to test your skills against serious players, our tournaments are the place to be. Weekly workshops on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Sundays cover everything from beginner basics to advanced strategy. All skill levels are welcome.
$10/hr · Automated tables
Drop in and play. Perfect for regulars and visitors alike.
ARA-Certified · WRC Rules
Competitive Riichi Mahjong with official rankings.
Trusted by Champions
Setting Sun isn't just a place to learn — it's where serious Riichi players in the region come to sharpen their game.
First-place winner of the largest Riichi mahjong tournament in the United States. Competed at the World Riichi Championship in Tokyo. A regular at Setting Sun since before the venue opened.
“It's really difficult to learn, but once you do, I think it's a really fun game.”
— As told to The Virginian-Pilot, May 2026
If you searched for mahjong near me or mahjong games near me for adults and ended up here, the short version is this: Setting Sun VB is the only dedicated Riichi Mahjong venue in the Hampton Roads region. There is no other room in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, or Newport News that combines automated mahjong tables, a regular workshop schedule, and an ARA-certified monthly tournament under one roof.
The player base is mostly adults — a mix of casual hobbyists, returning regulars, and serious competitive players. Beginners are welcome, and the workshop nights are structured so a complete newcomer can sit down, learn the basics, and be playing a real hand by the end of the session.
The automated tile shuffler tables — the same kind used in mahjong parlors in Tokyo and Osaka — speed up the game significantly. You spend more time playing and less time building walls. For anyone used to playing mahjong on a phone app, the live tactile experience at a real table is hard to beat.
Common questions about playing Riichi Mahjong at Setting Sun Virginia Beach.
No. Workshops on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Sundays are built for beginners. You will be playing real hands by the end of the night. If you want to come prepared, book a private lesson on the mahjong lessons page.
Yes. Riichi is the Japanese style of mahjong used in international competitive play. American Mahjong uses different rules, different tile counts, and an annual NMJL card. Setting Sun specializes in Riichi, but the underlying tile recognition skills transfer between styles.
A single hanchan (East and South rounds) takes about 60–90 minutes with our automated tables. A tournament typically runs 4 hanchan plus breaks — roughly 6–8 hours.
Most regular mahjong nights skew adult, but younger players who can focus for an hour are welcome at workshops with a parent. Tournament nights are 16+ only.
Setting Sun VB at 4878 Princess Anne Rd. 105 is the only dedicated Riichi Mahjong venue in the region — roughly 15–25 minutes from most of Virginia Beach, Norfolk, and Chesapeake, and about 35 minutes from Newport News.
Open play is $10/hour. Lessons start at $25. The monthly Riichi tournament has its own entry fee — see the tournament page for current pricing.
4878 Princess Anne Rd. 105, Virginia Beach, VA 23462
Mahjong lessons available · Open play daily · Monthly tournaments