Kansai's New Generation Rises
Peace in the West
While Tokyo's Go community simmered with factional strife, the Kansai region enjoyed a period of relative calm. Under the leadership of Izumi Shusetsu of the Kansai branch and the 15th head of the Inoue house, Tabuchi Yonezō, the Kansai Go scene thrived. After Izumi and his son passed away, Tamura Kappei founded the Doshikai in 1913, uniting players from Osaka and Kyoto. This collaboration bore fruit: two standout prodigies emerged from this era—Kobayashi Katsujiro and Ogishi Sōji.
Kobayashi Katsujiro's Unconventional Beginnings
Born in 1894, Kobayashi Katsujiro learned Go from his father, a high-ranking official. His father died the following year, and the young boy was sent to live with his uncle. At age nine, Kobayashi played a nine-stone handicap game against Izumi Shusetsu and won. Impressed, Izumi sought to adopt him and train him as a professional. But Kobayashi's uncle looked down on Go and strictly forbade further play.
At 14, while attending Kitano Middle School with top grades, Kobayashi returned to Go. His studies faltered as he secretly solved Go problems in class and eventually failed a year, earning a severe beating from his uncle. Still, he persisted. At 15, he participated in a youth tournament in Osaka and won the final match against 11-year-old Ogishi Sōji, securing first place. Honinbo Shusai, invited to review the game, was deeply impressed.
Diverging Paths: Tokyo vs. Kansai
This encounter led Ogishi to Tokyo, where he entered Shusai’s school. Kobayashi remained behind. Three years later, Ogishi returned to Osaka and challenged Kobayashi again. Expecting an easy win due to his Tokyo training, Ogishi was shocked to lose two out of three games. Humiliated, he defended himself by stating that Kobayashi must have improved significantly.
Encouraged, Kobayashi resolved to become a professional. In 1913, he defeated Nakagawa Chiji during a visit to Osaka, earning a 3-dan certificate. The next year, he was promoted to 4-dan at the age of 22.
Ogishi's Relentless Ascent
Ogishi, meanwhile, threw himself into study. Though less naturally talented than Kobayashi, his discipline was unmatched. Shusai, recognizing this, offered him more games than was customary between master and pupil. Ogishi reached 3-dan by 1917.
His style was unshakable and methodical. Between 1917 and 1918, Ogishi played 70 games, winning 56 with only nine losses. Though notorious for glacial pacing—a single opening could take three days—his victories were overwhelming. He recorded eleven consecutive wins in the Yorozu Choho knockout series and a record-breaking 32 straight wins in the Jiji Shinpo newspaper matches. In 1919 alone, he posted a 36-4 record.
Reunion and Rising Storm
In March 1920, Kobayashi was promoted to 5-dan, a rare rank in Kansai. A celebration was planned, and both Ogishi and Segoe Kensaku (representing Honinbo and Hoensha, respectively) were invited to attend. Kobayashi warmly welcomed both, even inviting Segoe to stay at his home.
The two self-taught players quickly bonded. Segoe asked if any prodigies had emerged in Kansai. Kobayashi noted a few: Kitani Minoru and Maeda Nobuaki. Kobayashi confessed that, though eager to train them, he doubted he was strong enough to shape such talents and planned to send them to Tokyo.
Subtle Ambitions and Unspoken Rivalries
Segoe, intrigued, held back from asking to take on one of these youths himself. When Kobayashi mentioned possibly sending them to Honinbo Shusai, Segoe quickly interjected, warning that Shusai's teaching ability didn't match his playing strength and that Hoensha offered better mentorship. He cited the success of Hirose Heijirō and the explosive rise of Iwamoto Kaoru.
Changing the subject, Kobayashi asked if Segoe had heard about Karigane Junichi's return. Segoe explained that Karigane had just defeated Shusai in a game, stirring rumors of a long-planned comeback. Kobayashi was astonished and asked for the record, but Segoe admitted he couldn’t recall it in full.
A Match to Remember
Suddenly, Kobayashi remembered the upcoming celebration. He invited Segoe to play a public exhibition match against Ogishi. Segoe warned of Ogishi’s slow pace, but Kobayashi insisted, noting that a riveting match would thrill the crowd even if it took days.
On April 3, 1920, the event was held with nearly all of Kansai's top players in attendance. The game, beginning in the morning, raged until 3 a.m. the next day. Tensions escalated from move 37 onward, with devastating exchanges, large ko fights, and massive territory trades. Ogishi's white stones clashed ferociously with Segoe's black, and neither side gave an inch.
The final tally after more than 300 moves was a dramatic draw. Exhausted, Segoe wiped his brow and said, "Ogishi's fighting spirit is admirable. This match drained every ounce of strength I had. To draw against him is no shame."
The Kansai celebration concluded with cheers, as both veterans and newcomers recognized that a new generation of greatness had dawned.
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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》)
