Dora guide

Complete guide to dora (bonus tiles) in Riichi Mahjong

What are dora?

Dora are bonus tiles that add han to a winning hand without being yaku themselves. The name is said to come from the English word "dragon", and dora are a major source of luck in Riichi Mahjong. Each dora tile in the winning hand adds 1 han, and dora can stack—a hand with three dora tiles gains 3 han.

Important: Dora alone cannot make a hand valid for winning—at least one yaku is still required.

The indicator system

Dora tiles are determined by indicators (表示牌 / hyoujihai), not by revealing the dora tiles directly. The indicator shows the tile before the actual dora in the cyclical sequence.

Number tiles (1-9)

→

(next in sequence)

→

(9 wraps to 1)

Wind tiles

→

(East → South)

→

(North → East)

Dragon tiles

→

(Haku → Hatsu)

→

(Chun → Haku)

Dora types

Omote-Dora (standard)

+1 han/tile

Rules: WRC | JPML | M | MJ

At the start of each hand, one indicator tile from the dead wall is revealed face-up. This indicator determines the dora for that hand.

The standard dora adds excitement and strategic depth. Players can see it and adjust their strategy—pursuing dora tiles or avoiding them for defense.

Example:

Indicator:

→Dora:

Ura-Dora

+1 han/tile

Rules: WRC | M | MJ

Condition: Riichi win only

When winning after riichi, the tile directly beneath the standard dora indicator is revealed as an additional indicator.

Ura-Dora rewards the risk of riichi. Since it's revealed only after winning, it creates dramatic moments when a modest hand suddenly becomes mangan or haneman.

Example:

Omote indicator:

Ura indicator:

→Dora:

Kan-Dora

+1 han/tile

Rules: WRC | M | MJ

Condition: After kan declaration

When any player declares a kan (quad), a new dora indicator is revealed from the dead wall, adding potential dora for all players.

Kan-Dora makes the decision to declare kan strategically complex—it may help your hand but could also benefit your opponents.

Example:

Before kan:

→

After kan:

→

(two indicators → two dora)

Kan-Ura

+1 han/tile

Rules: WRC | M | MJ

Condition: Riichi win + kan(s)

For each Kan-Dora indicator, there's a corresponding ura indicator beneath it. If the winner declared riichi, these indicators are revealed too and add Kan-Ura.

Kan-Ura amplifies the riichi reward when kans are in play, potentially creating unexpected haneman or baiman hands.

Example:

Revealed together with Ura-Dora after a riichi win

Aka-Dora (red fives)

+1 han/tile

Rules: M | MJ (not used in WRC, JPML)

In rulesets with Aka-Dora, one 5 of each suit is red. These red tiles are dora by themselves—no indicator needed.

Aka-Dora adds a constant luck factor. Players naturally want to keep red fives and build hands around them, affecting hand-building and reading opponents.

Standard set (3 tiles):

Red 5-man

Red 5-pin

Red 5-sou

Red fives stack with indicator dora. If the indicator is the 4 of the same suit, the red 5 is worth 2 han (1 red + 1 dora).

Chankan exception

When a player wins by Chankan (robbing a kan), special dora rules apply.

The robbed kan does NOT add a new dora indicator. Since the kan was interrupted, no new indicator is revealed. The winner's dora count uses only pre-existing indicators.

Ruleset differences

Dora type	WRC	JPML	M	MJ
Omote-Dora (standard)	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Ura-Dora	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Kan-Dora	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Kan-Ura	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Aka-Dora (red fives)	No	No	Yes (3)	Yes (3)

Counting dora

Dora han is added to your total after yaku detection:

Total han = yaku han + dora count

1.Identify all indicators (omote + Kan-Dora)
2.Map each indicator to its dora tile (next in cycle)
3.Count matching tiles in hand (closed + melds + winning tile)
4.If riichi win: add Ura-Dora + Kan-Ura counts
5.If Aka-Dora is used: add the number of red fives

Examples

Basic dora

Indicator:

Dora:

Indicator 3-man means 4-man is dora. Two 4-man tiles in hand = +2 han.

Riichi with Ura-Dora

Omote indicator:

→ 8s

Ura indicator:

→ 3p

Riichi win with one 8-sou (Omote-Dora) and two 3-pin (Ura-Dora) = +3 han total.

Aka-Dora stacking (M-League)

Indicator:

→ 5s

In hand:

If the indicator is 4-sou, all 5-sou are dora. A red 5-sou is worth 2 han (1 red + 1 dora).

Strategic tips

Riichi consideration

Weigh the guaranteed +1 han and the chance of Ura-Dora against the loss of flexibility.

Kan consideration

Calling kan reveals info and adds dora for everyone. Avoid kan unless you already have dora or a strong hand.

Reading dora

Dora discarded early may indicate low hand value, while a player who holds on to dora late in the hand may have more than one. Play defensively against hands that are likely to hold several dora.

Dora value

Dora are an efficient way to raise hand value: below mangan, each dora doubles the base points (1 dora ×2, 3 dora ×8); from mangan up, the limit caps the gain. Dora count with any yaku but never toward a yakuman.