The Fall of a “Great Master”
A Power Vacuum—and a Dangerous Game
After the death of Honinbo Douchi, the Go world entered a quiet but volatile period. Beneath the surface, Japan’s four great Go houses—Honinbo, Yasui, Hayashi, and Inoue—were engaged in silent warfare.
Ambitions flared. Alliances shifted. And all the while, the Meijin title remained empty. At just 18, Iguchi Chihaku became the sixth head of the Honinbo house. A promising 6-dan player, many believed he could carry on Douchi’s legacy. But fate struck cruelly—Chihaku died in a freak fall just six years later.
His top disciple, Shuhaku, succeeded him in 1733. Another 18-year-old, Shuhaku, was only a 5-dan, but his drive was unmatched. Determined to revive the glory of Dosaku’s era, he trained relentlessly. Within a few short years, he was ready to claim 7-dan.
But Go wasn’t just about skill anymore.
It was about politics. Again.
The Hidden War Between Houses
By now, the Go houses had calcified into alliances. The Hayashi and Inoue families had grown close, bound by old grudges and mutual distrust of the Honinbo line.
Together, they blocked Shuhaku’s promotion.
Left without recourse, the Honinbo house turned to its old enemy: the Yasui family. Surprisingly, Yasui backed Shuhaku. Old enemies found new purpose in shared opposition.
Yet, nothing changed.
So Shuhaku issued a formal challenge: a twenty-game match against Hayashi Monnyu, head of the Hayashi family.
Monnyu dodged. Citing illness, he passed the gauntlet to Shunseki, the sixth head of the Inoue house—a man eager to prove himself on the national stage.
A Duel Interrupted
The contest began in 1738. Over one year, eight games were played. Shuhaku led with four wins, three losses, and one draw.
It was shaping into a remarkable comeback for the Honinbo.
Until Shuhaku collapsed.
In the middle of a match, he began coughing up blood. Years of exhaustion had taken their toll. The Honinbo pleaded with the elders for mercy.
The match was suspended. Even Inoue’s Shunseki agreed, whether out of pity or sensing defeat.
Shuhaku never recovered. He died just three years later, at age 26.
Another genius lost too soon.
A Throne Without a Master
Ever since Douchi, the Meijin title remained unclaimed. Yasui Senkaku had disgraced himself in his attempt. No one dared follow.
No one, except Hayashi Monnyu.
Older now, and one of the last remaining senior figures, Monnyu saw his opportunity. He had the rank. He had the time. And he believed he had earned it.
He made his move.
But the other houses slammed the door.
Inoue, once his ally, turned on him.
Honinbo and Yasui refused to support him. Humiliated, Monnyu retired.
And the storm grew darker.
The Gambit That Shattered Everything
In 1748, a delegation from Ryukyu arrived in Japan.
Their goal: to test their strength against the best Japanese players, just as their forebears had once done under Dosaku’s reign.
But with no Meijin, protocol demanded a match of equal prestige. Someone had to step forward.
Shunseki, the sixth head of Inoue, declared himself Dai-Kokusho—a “Great National Master.”
He arranged a match against Tagami Pēchin, giving a three-stone handicap. His student, Shuntatsu, would face Naha Satonukwa, giving four stones.
It was a disaster.
Tagami Pēchin was no ordinary challenger. Stronger than any Ryukyuan before him, he dismantled Shunseki on the board. A match intended to confirm Japan’s superiority became a national embarrassment.
Harutatsu lost, too.
Trying to salvage dignity, Shunseki offered Tagami a 4-dan certificate, less than the 5-dan he demanded.
It was too late.
International Fallout
Back in Ryukyu, the players were celebrated.
They had proven that Japan’s so-called masters could bleed.
One of them, Naha Satonukwa, took it further—traveling to China, seeking to prove himself on the true global stage.
He was crushed.
In China, the likes of Fan Xiping and Shi Ding’an were ascendant. They dismantled Satonukwa with ruthless precision.
Upon returning, Ryukyu officials asked:
“How does China compare to Japan?”His answer was brutal:
“Even if Honinbo Dosaku rose from the grave, he would not stand a chance.”When this reached Japan, fury erupted.
And all fingers pointed at Shunseki—for arrogance, for recklessness, for opening the floodgates of shame.
The match, meant to assert Japan’s superiority, became an international embarrassment. Within weeks, public sentiment curdled. His name, once spoken with admiration, became a punchline in Go salons and whispered scorn in courtly halls. Even former allies in the Hayashi family turned away.
And Shunseki — humiliated, hounded — stepped down.
But he didn’t vanish. Not entirely.
He gave up the leadership of the Inoue house to his student Shuntatsu and withdrew from the public eye. .
When Ambition Burns Too Bright
This wasn’t just a defeat.
It was a collapse of pride, of diplomacy, of everything Japan’s Go world thought it stood for. Shunseki had gambled for greatness.
And lost everything. But history does not stop for one man.
Another challenger is always waiting.
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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》)
