Chapter 2: The System of Go

Since ancient times, Go has appeared in stories and diaries. Many people have enjoyed Go. In the Edo Period, however, some people started to make a living by playing Go. In the Edo period, four schools of Go, called iemoto, received a salary from the Tokugawa Shogunate. In modern times, the Nihon Ki-in (日本棋院, Japan Go Association) was established, and professional Go players came to belong to it.
In Chapter 2, we will look at the environment surrounding these people who make a living with the game of Go.

People in the Sengoku period playing Go

Until the establishment of the iemoto system

Diaries of court nobles in the medieval period often describe scenes of them enjoying playing Go. Among these scenes, you can find the names of people who were good at Go and so were invited to play Go.

4) Tokitsugu Kyoki (『言継卿記』) written by YAMASHINA Tokitsugu, published by Kokushokankokai in 1915 [210.47-Y436t]

This is the diary of YAMASHINA Tokitsugu (山科言継, 1507-1579), a kuge (court noble) who lived in the Sengoku period. Although some parts were lost, it was recorded from 1527 to 1576.
In the entry dated July 2, 1576, “a hermit who plays Go” is mentioned, indicating that a person recognized as a master of Go had appeared. It can be seen that Go experts were gradually starting to appear.

In addition to Tokitsugu Kyoki, the names of people recognized as “Go masters” appear here and there in Shunkyuki (『舜旧記』, Shiryo Sanshu, No. 7 [GB22-2]), Kanemi Kyoki (『兼見卿記』, Shiryo Sanshu, No. 4 [GB 22-2]) and others written during the same period and later.
In the entry for May 11, 1594, of Tokitsune Kyoki [GB22-8], the diary of YAMASHINA Tokitsune, son of YAMASHINA Tokitsugu, “Gouchi Hon’inbo (碁打本因坊)” appears. This is considered to be the first time that Hon’inbo, whose name still remains as a modern championship match, appeared in records. After that, the name of Hon’inbo often appears in Tokitsune Kyoki. It can be seen that Go was famous and enjoyed among court nobles and monks in Kyoto.

A portrait of Hon’inbo Sansa (本因坊算砂, The first head of the Hon’inbo school)

In the Edo period, TOKUGAWA Ieyasu (the shogun) loved Go, and those who were good at Go came to receive a salary from the Shogunate. This did not immediately mean the establishment of the iemoto system, but it was gradually established with the four schools of Hon’inbo, Inoue, Yasui, and Hayashi. They served under the magistrate of temples and shrines, and their names were recorded as “Godokoro” in the Bukan, a book of heraldry in the Edo period.

TOKUGAWA Ieyasu playing a game of Go every day amid the signs of war

Iemotos of Go

The iemoto system of the Hon’inbo, Inoue, Yasui, and Hayashi schools was maintained until the end of the Edo period. They competed with each other in games at Edo Castle called “Oshirogo (御城碁, castle Go)” on November 17 every year in the shogun’s presence. They received a salary from the Shogunate. There were many times when the shogun did not attend the games, but they served the shogun with the art of Go.
We will introduce some of their kifu (棋譜, transcriptions of Go matchs) in Chapter 3. Some of the schools did not stop at just playing Go, and also wrote books such as Rankadokiwa (『爛柯堂棊話』), written by HAYASHI Genbi (1778-1861).

Part of the Bukan (book of heraldry) in which Godokoro appears.
They are placed between the Renga (collaborative poetry) poets and
the Goshogidokoro (御将棋所, highest official rank of Shogi players)

5) Rankadokiwa (『爛柯堂棊話』) written by HAYASHI Genbi, published by Ono Banzai Kan in 1914 [795-H365r]

The author of this book, Hayashi Genbi, was the 11th head of the Hayashi school. This book is a collection of various historical events related to Go. Rankado, which includes the word “ranka” (See Chapter 1), another name for Go, was the pen name of Genbi, and so Rankadokiwa means “Go by Hayashi Genbi.”
The book was written by Genbi in 1849, but the original has not been found. The books in the NDL’s possession were compiled and published in 1914 by Hayashi Kiku (date of birth and death unknown), a female Go player who came from a branch school of the Hayashi school. Since it was written by the head of the school themself, it is not an exaggeration to say that it is a book that is always mentioned when people talk about the history of Go.

Even though the iemoto were the heads of each school, there was a difference in their skills. They competed with each other in the game of Go to prove which school is the best. The winner became a special figure among the four schools as “Godokoro.” In the Go world, results are everything. Even though the post of iemoto was hereditary, the successor was chosen by adopting a disciple. You can learn the procedures used by the Hayashi school to decide on the successor from the following documents.

6) Volume 45 of [Jisha-Bugyo Ikken Shorui (『寺社奉行一件書類』, documents of magistrate of temples and shrines)] [818-2]

This is a binding booklet containing the documents submitted by HAYASHI Shuei (林秀栄, 1852-1907) when he became the 13th head of the Hayashi school in 1867, as well as the papers made by the Jisha-Bugyo TSUCHIYA Unemenosho (Tomonao) (1820-1895).
It contains detailed records about the time of the succession to the name, such as the precedents of succession in the Yasui school and Hon’inbo school, the history of the Hayashi school, and the period of mourning for the death of the 12th Hayashi, Mon’nyu. Also, you can see how documents were exchanged within the Shogunate, such as the route to circulate a summons when the succession of a name is approved.

Hayashi Shuei, who succeeded as the head of the Hayashi school, abolished the Hayashi school and succeeded the name of Hon’inbo (as the 17th Hon’inbo). Later, he handed over the name to MURASE Shuho (村瀬秀甫), who will be introduced in the next section (Murase later became HON’INBO Shuho (本因坊秀甫, 1838-1886).

End of the iemoto system

When the Edo Shogunate collapsed, the iemoto lost their salary. In 1879, the Go study group Hoensha (方円社) was established by Murase Shuho and NAKAGAWA Kamesaburo (中川亀三郎, 1837-1903), highly regarded pupils of the 14th Hon’inbo, Shuwa (1820-1873). Hoensha created a new era of Go by publishing the magazine Igo Shinpo (『囲棋新報』, Go News) [雑35-120], delivering members kifu (棋譜, records of Go) related to Hoensha such as those of Shuho and Nakagawa, and adopting a merit-based ranking system instead of the traditional grading system certified by the iemoto.

Go players also appeared in “Seven no business to do personages in bamboo forest” (『竹林の七閑人』)
which depicted people who were out of step with the new Meiji era

7) Igo Tokyuroku (『囲棋等級録』, Go Ranking Record) edited by Murase Shuho, published by Keigetsudo in 1883 [特55-398]

This is a ranking table for Go made by Hoensha in August 1883. A total of 91 people are listed up to Grade 12, including Murase Shuho in Grade 2. It is interesting in that you can see the spread of Go all over the country. For example, the rankings of Go players nationwide and the names of women can be seen.

In the following year, the revised version of the grading system, Igo Tokyuroku Kaisei (『囲棋等級録改正』, revision of the Go Ranking Record) [特55-399] was published, and 188 people are listed on it. You can see how the power of Hoensha expanded. The historian SHIGENO Yasutsugu (重野安繹), who wrote a preface to the combined volume of Igo Shimpo, is also listed in Grade 8.

Although the Hon’inbo school cooperated with Hoensha's activities in the beginning, they started to have conflicts later, with the two powers of Bo (the Hon’inbo school) and Sha (Hoensha) competing intensely. At the same time, the Hon’inbo school was not unified because of a conflict over the succession of Shuei, who succeeded as the 19th head of Hon’inbo after Shuho, the 18th. Other influential players formed the Hiseikai (裨聖会). The Go world entered into tripartite chaos between the Hon’inbo, Hoensha, and Hiseikai.

Portrait of Murase Shuho

The Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923 was one of the triggers to end this confusion. With the offices of each faction having burned and the economy in distress, OKURA Kishichiro (大倉喜七郎, 1882-1963) said, “I will be unsparing with my financial assistance if the three schools stop their ego battles and truly unite for a common ideal: spreading the game of Go, a pride of Japanese culture, to the world.” This led the factions to seriously consider joining forces (HAYASHI Yutaka, Igo Fuunroku (『囲碁風雲録』, Stormy Chronicle of Go) [795-H3992i]). In July of the next year, the Nihon Ki-in was born.
Immediately after the establishment of the Nihon Ki-in, five players, including KARIGANE Junichi (雁金準一, 1879-1959), left the Nihon Ki-in to form the Kiseisha. The “In-Sha competition” was held between the Nihon Ki-in and the Kiseisha, but the Kiseisha gradually lost power. The chaos of the Go world after losing the iemoto system finally settled into a new system centered on the Nihon Ki-in.

8) Igo Dokushu (『囲碁独習』, Self Study on Go) written by SUZUKI Tamejiro, published by Nihon Ki-in, 1931-1932 [795-Su882i6]

The title page of Igo Dokushu

This is a total of 8 books of Go teaching books published by the Nihon Ki-in. In the beginning, they start with the history of Go until the Nihon Ki-in was established. In the main text, the changes in Go games are roughly divided four patterns, “The fundamentals,” “Life and death of stone,” ”Capturing territory” and “Shapes and Tesuji (clever moves),” which are explained in order. Each section proceeds with exercise problems.

SUZUKI Tamejiro (鈴木為次郎, 1883-1960) was a contemporary rival of SEGOE Kensaku (瀬越憲作, 1889-1972), the donor of the Segoe Kensaku Go Library (瀬越憲作囲碁文庫) that will be introduced in Chapter 3. He was also known as “Asahi shogun” (旭将軍, General Asahi). He also wrote Igo Daijiten (『囲碁大辞典』, Great Joseki Dictionary) [795-Su882i5].
The Nihon Ki-in also published works such as joseki (set sequences) collections and handicaps collections by Segoe Kensaku and IWASA Kei (岩佐銈, 1878 -1938). These publications suggest that there were people who were looking for such knowledge.

Newspapers and Go

Newspapers were one of the sources for financial support for Go players who could no longer earn a salary due to the collapse of the Edo Shogunate. In April 1878, Yubin Hochi Shimbun (『郵便報知新聞』) [Z99-817] published the kifu of NAKAGAWA Kamesaburo and TAKAHASHI Kinesaburo (高橋杵三郎, 1836-1902), and on March 10, 1885, Yomiuri Shimbun (『読売新聞』) [Z81-16] published the kifu of the match between HON’INBO Shuei and Murase Shuho. In 1898, Kobe Shimbun (『神戸新聞』) [Z81-58] became the pioneer of making a Go section in a newspaper. By the end of the Meiji period, kifu were regularly published in local newspapers as well as leading daily newspapers such as the Asahi, Mainichi, and Yomiuri.
The reason why these newspapers published kifu is, of course, the result of their business decisions to publish interesting articles for readers. However, the fact that they were published in newspapers also became an advertisement for Go, and it became one of the factors that made Go popular among a wide range of people. In addition, the players were paid a game fee for publishing the game in newspapers, which became a source of income for the players. For the Go players who had lost their salary from the Shogunate, these articles helped considerably in making a living, in addition to receiving support from influential supporters and earning income from issuing licenses. On the other hand, the Go players were divided into several groups, with each group being supported by a different newspaper company. This situation seemed to have undermined the momentum for unity. YANO Yoshijiro (矢野由次郎, Date of birth and death unknown), who was greatly involved in the Go column in Jiji Shimpo (『時事新報』) [新-3], said about the game fee from 1904 to 1907 in retrospect, “A game cost 25 yen, including an evaluation fee of 7 yen and expenses of about 3 yen, with a balance of 15 yen. The balance was the players’ share for the game.” (Kikai Hiwa (『棋界秘話』) [586-208] written by Yano Yoshijiro).
In today's Go world, the Mainichi Shimbun and Asahi Shimbun host the Hon’inbo Tournament and the Meijin Tournament respectively, and the newspaper companies play an essential financial role in the management of the title competitions.

Column: The hereditary Hon’inbo’s retirement Go match

Even after the collapse of the iemoto system, the Hon’inbo school continued to exist as a hereditary school of Go players. It was in 1939 when Hon’inbo became the championship title it is today. The tournament for the title of Hon’inbo was born when the last hereditary and 21st Hon’inbo, Shusai (本因坊秀哉, 1874-1940), transferred the name Hon’inbo to the Nihon Ki-in upon his retirement.
HON’INBO Shusai's retirement match was held with challenger KITANI Minoru (1909-1975) over a period of about six months from June 26 to December 4, 1938. This retirement Go match was used as a model by KAWABATA Yasunari (1899-1972) to write the novel The Master of Go [913.6-Ka734m4].

Next Chapter 3:
Learning Go