The Fall of the Oshirogo & The Rise of Shuho
The Fall of the Castle Games and the Rise of a New Rival
By 1861, Japan was in turmoil. The shogunate, weakened by political unrest, could no longer prioritize the traditions it once upheld, including the prestigious Castle Games (Oshirogo). That year, civil war erupted between the pro-shogunate forces and the anti-shogunate factions. In 1862, the Castle Games were postponed. Then, in 1863, a fire ravaged Chiyoda Castle, forcing another delay.
No one realized it at the time, but this would be the end. The tournament, established by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, nurtured by the Tokugawa shogunate, and thriving for 250 years, was gone forever.
The Death of a Saint
For Honinbo Shusaku, it was as if his life’s purpose had vanished with the Games. That summer, a measles epidemic swept through Edo. Shusaku, visiting an infected friend, caught the disease himself. Three days later, the undefeated genius was dead at just thirty-four.
Officially ranked 7-dan, Shusaku’s true strength rivaled any Meijin in history. His death sent shockwaves through the Go world—a loss so profound it left the entire nation mourning.
The Search for a Successor
Honinbo Shuwa, Shusaku’s teacher, was devastated. Now, he faced an urgent task: choosing a new heir. Among his disciples, one stood out—Murase Shuho.
The Rise of Shuho
Born in 1838 as Yakichi, Shuho came from poverty. His father was a craftsman, and Go should have been beyond his reach. But fate intervened: he lived next door to the Honinbo estate. The sound of stones on wood haunted him, and the parade of nobles visiting the Honinbo clan filled him with envy. He vowed to master the game.
His chance came when Yamamoto Kawagen, a minor official, visited his father’s shop. Shuho, recognizing him as a Honinbo regular, gifted him a fine pair of scissors, refusing payment. Grateful, Yamamoto agreed to teach him Go.
Their lessons were crude. Yamamoto barely knew the game himself, but Shuho absorbed everything. Within weeks, he was crushing his teacher. Stunned, Yamamoto introduced him to the Honinbo school.
A Humiliating Test
Under Honinbo Josaku, Shuho faced his first trial: a 13-stone handicap game, known as the "Sacred Wind Chime" arrangement. Confident, Shuho assumed victory was certain—until Josaku dismantled him. His stones were slaughtered, his pride shattered.
But Shuwa, watching, saw something else. Shuho’s raw fearlessness intrigued him. Against tradition, he convinced Josaku to accept Shuho as a disciple, albeit as a lowly "provisional" student.
The Apprentice’s Struggle
At eleven, Shuho reached 1-dan. By fourteen, he became Shuwa’s uchi-deshi (live-in disciple), enduring grueling labor—caring for Shuwa’s children, managing household chores, and even carrying luggage on trips. Yet every spare moment, he spent studying Go.
His dedication paid off. By 1860, he was giving Shuwa handicap games—and winning. Impressed, Shuwa granted him the honor of bearing the "Shu" in his name: Murase Shuho.
The Clash with Shusaku
In 1861, Shuho faced the legendary Shusaku in a 10-game match. Using Shusaku’s own famed 1-3-5 opening against him, Shuho fought fiercely. In Game 3, Shusaku’s White 32 shattered Shuho’s territory, but Shuho countered with brilliant tactics—Black 43’s flexible response, 49’s counterattack—sealing a 2-point victory.
By the end, Shuho led 6-3-1, proving he could challenge even the Saint of Go.
The Politics of Rank
Shuwa, recognizing Shuho’s strength, pushed for his 7-dan promotion. The other schools agreed—except Inoue’s Matsumoto Kinshiro, a mediocre 5-dan who had once fluked a win against Shuwa. Kinshiro, jealous, blocked the promotion, hoping to extort a rank for himself.
Shuho responded with a challenge match. He crushed Kinshiro in three straight games, forcing him to concede.
The Bitter Betrayal
With Shusaku dead, Shuho seemed the natural heir. But Shuwa’s ambition intervened. His own son, Shuetsu, was a promising 3-dan. Despite Honinbo tradition dictating that the strongest player must inherit, Shuwa, backed by Shusaku’s widow, named Shuetsu as his successor in 1863.
The Go world was stunned. Shuho, betrayed, left the Honinbo house in disgust, beginning a wandering exile that would shape his destiny.
Legacy of the Unchosen
Shuho’s story was far from over. Denied his rightful place, he would forge his path—one that would redefine Japanese Go forever.
But that… is another tale.
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Copyright Notice
This English adaptation is based on Japanese Go Stories (《日本围棋故事》, 2016) by Xue Zhicheng (薛至诚).
For non-commercial use only: Shared for educational purposes under fair use.
Rights retained: All copyrights belong to the original author and cited sources.
Modifications: Minor narrative adjustments were made for readability; all historical content remains accurate.
No affiliation or endorsement: This work is independent and unaffiliated with the original author or publishers.
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References
Adapted from:
Xue Zhicheng (薛至诚), Japanese Go Stories (《日本围棋故事》), 2016.
Cited in original work:
Watanabe Hideo (渡辺英夫), Shin Zaigin Dansō (《新坐隱談叢》)
Watanabe Yoshimichi (渡部義通), Kodai Igo no Sekai (《古代囲碁の世界》)
Lin Yu (林裕), Weiqi Encyclopedia (《围棋百科辞典》)
