The Riichi Journal · Section
Mind & Mahjong
What the research says about mahjong, memory and staying sharp — read carefully, explained plainly, with the limits left in.
Three shelves
What you’ll find here
Evidence
Studies on mahjong, memory, mood and ageing — what they found, how strong the evidence is, and what’s still unknown.
Practice
Playing in a way that keeps your mind working: learning new yaku, reading discards, counting your own score, teaching others.
Care & Community
Running mahjong in care homes and community spaces: no-gambling play, teaching beginners, and practical set-up.
More in this section
Evidence · PublishedMahjong and Dementia: Reading the Studies CarefullyRead the article →
PracticeWhat Your Brain Is Doing During a Riichi Hand
Care & CommunityStarting a Mahjong Program in a Care Home
Editorial policy
How we write about health
Original papers, not headlines.Every figure comes from the published study, and we link to it.
We say what kind of study it is.Trial, long-term cohort or review — because that changes what it can prove.
We keep the limits in.Each article has a “what we don’t know yet” section.
No health claims for products.We never say a table, or mahjong itself, prevents or treats any condition.
AI-assisted, source-checked.Articles are researched and written with AI assistance, then every number is checked against the original papers.
We tell you our interest.ALBAN sells mahjong tables. We say so in every article.
Mind & Mahjong is for general information only and is not medical advice. If you have concerns about memory or thinking, please talk to a qualified healthcare professional.