A Duel That Cemented the Shusai Era
Aftermath of Honinbo Infighting
In mid-1907, a long-anticipated clash between Tamura Yasuhisa (later Honinbo Shusai) and Karigane Junichi dominated conversation across the Go world. However, just as the battle between these two giants loomed, another powerful player emerged: Nakagawa Chiji, the Vice President of the Hoensha.
Nakagawa's Defection and the Rise of the Go Doshikai
Frustrated with President Iwasaki's arrogance and unilateral decisions following internal discord at the Honinbo house, Nakagawa finally reached his limit. In September 1906, he resigned from Hoensha and established the Go Doshikai in Gokencho. He attracted several key figures from both factions, including Iwasa Kei (5-dan), Koga Chusaburo (4-dan), and the notable female player Kita Fumiko (3-dan). Even Nozawa Takeasa and Takabe Doppei eventually joined him, giving Doshikai serious weight.
Kansei Genkichi's "Borrowed Knife" Strategy
Sensing an opportunity, Kansei Genkichi, strategist of the Karigane faction, devised a plan to weaken Tamura without confrontation. He urged editor Ono Keigi of Nihon to Nihonjin magazine to goad Nakagawa into challenging Tamura to a ten-game match (juuban-go), presenting it as a chance to avenge his past defeats.
Nakagawa immediately saw through this manipulation, but he had his motives. Beating Tamura would secure his position as the top player and attract defectors like Karigane. He agreed to the match, provided Tamura accepted.
Juuban-Go Realized
After some hesitation, Tamura agreed, requesting a 1,000-yen purse. Public betting heavily favored Tamura, making it hard to find sponsors until a wealthy widow, Hirooka Asako, impressed by Nakagawa's persistence, personally backed the challenge. The juuban-go was thus confirmed, with Tamura giving Black.
The "Eight-Hour Move" Game
The first game commenced on December 2. Though Nakagawa had lost the previous three matches against Tamura, he remained dangerous. The game was cautious, and both sides made minor mistakes. Notably, Tamura's 148th move took an astonishing eight hours. According to journalist Kojima Kazuo, Tamura sat still "first like a poet pondering a line, later like a monk in deep meditation."
Some speculated this was revenge for Iwasaki's long stares; Tamura had trained his endurance and was now testing it on Nakagawa. The psychological pressure worked—Nakagawa lost composure and ultimately lost by two points. Though not a technically brilliant game, it became famous as the "One Move, Eight Hours" match.
Unexpected Consequences: Shusai Ascends
Nakagawa's defeat should not have been decisive, but Honinbo Shugen, the nominal leader, seized on the opportunity. With no better pretext, he endorsed Tamura as successor. On February 18, 1908, Tamura officially became the 21st Honinbo, taking the name Shusai.
Collapse of the Karigane Faction
This single game spelled disaster for the Karigane faction. Kansei Genkichi vanished in disgrace; Karigane Junichi went silent, not resurfacing for 13 years. Nakagawa was stunned that one loss handed a victory to his rival.
The Juuban-Go Continues in Vain
Nakagawa managed to win the second game by seven points, but the psychological and political tide had turned. He lost the third and fourth games, falling to a two-stone handicap. Though he won the fifth game, he lost the two-stone match by three points.
Shusai, seizing the momentum, published self-congratulatory commentary in newspapers, deepening Nakagawa’s humiliation. Nakagawa abandoned the remaining four games.
Thus ended the prolonged succession crisis. Honinbo Shusai stood firmly atop the Go world, ushering in what would become known as the Shusai Era.
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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.
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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》)
