The Turbulent Rise of Honinbo Jouwa
The early 19th century marked a golden age of Go—but it was not without its shadows. Following the legendary Genjou (元丈), the Honinbo house crowned a successor who would change the game forever. That man was Jouwa (丈和), the twelfth head of the Honinbo lineage.
But Jouwa didn’t rise on talent alone.
For nearly twenty years, he had languished at 1-dan. His progress was so uninspiring that even Genjou, his own teacher, barely acknowledged him. When Jouwa requested a promotion to 2-dan, Genjou gave a cryptic challenge: defeat Nagasaka Inosuke (長坂猪之助), a 2-dan player from the Yasui house, and he’d be granted a 3-dan certificate.
Jouwa accepted. What followed became the stuff of myth: a journey to the north, a lost night in the forest, an eerie dream match with an old sage, and a transformation that shook the Honinbo house. Whether fact or legend, Jouwa returned stronger—and with a fury.
A Hidden Rival, A Broken Trust
Jouwa’s rise was sudden and undeniable. His skills sharpened, his ambition ignited. And yet, even as he dominated his peers, the title of the official heir remained elusive.
Because of one man: Genbi (元美).
Genbi was no ordinary rival. Once a promising Honinbo student, he was charismatic, cultured, and supremely well-rounded—a poet, a painter, and a Go player with an impeccable social instinct. Though his strength on the board lagged behind Jouwa’s, Genbi had something Jouwa didn’t: grace. He was beloved by many, including Genjou.
Initially, Genjou intended to make Genbi his heir. But Genbi, sensing danger in Jouwa’s rising power, made a calculated retreat. He requested permission to travel and study abroad. Genjou approved—and Genbi vanished into the wind.
Two years later, he returned. Married. Poised. And no longer interested in the Honinbo succession. Genjou, stung by Genbi’s independence, responded in kind: he gave Genbi to the ailing Hayashi house, naming him the eleventh head.
With Genbi gone, Jouwa’s path was clear.
In 1819, at age 33, Jouwa was formally named the official heir.
Genbi, then 42, took up the mantle of Hayashi head.
Genbi’s Second Life
If Genjou meant it as exile, it backfired.
The Hayashi house had been in decline for decades. But with Genbi’s arrival, its fortunes shifted. Shamed by his mentor’s fury, Genbi poured himself into study. He trained relentlessly. He wrote.
He produced two of the most celebrated Go texts in Japanese history:
“Kikei Shuumyou” (棋経精妙), a masterpiece of tactical ingenuity.
“Rankadou Kiwa” (烂柯堂棋話), a cultural chronicle of legendary matches and Go philosophy.
He also became renowned for his memory, capable of reciting Chinese classics and reconstructing games stone for stone.
And in an ironic twist, his greatest fame came not from power, but from poetry. He called himself the Master of the Ranka Hall—a name that still echoes in Japanese culture.
The Rivalry They Never Spoke Of
Jouwa and Genbi rarely played again. Their rivalry had been political, not personal. And though their lives took different paths—Jouwa toward domination, Genbi toward scholarship—their legacies became intertwined.
Jouwa would become one of the most controversial players in Go history. Genbi would be remembered as its most cultured mind.
In different ways, they both saved the game.
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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》)
