Go Players Ichiriki, Shibano Select Aloha Shirts at Hawaii Shopping Mall

The Yomiuri Shimbun

19:45 JST, January 21, 2026

HONOLULU — Kisei title holder Ryo Ichiriki and challenger Toramaru Shibano headed to the Ala Moana Center, Hawaii’s largest shopping mall, on Tuesday afternoon to purchase aloha shirts to wear for the first match in their best-of-seven title series.

After arriving at Prince Waikiki Hotel, where they are staying, they went to the shopping mall and selected the aloha shirts, the traditional Hawaiian attire. The match will be held on Thursday at the hotel, and both players are expected to wear the aloha shirts as they face off.

Go’s popularity in Hawaii is often attributed to Japanese immigrants who arrived during the Meiji period (1868-1912) and the same is true for the aloha shirt. Its origins can be traced back to Japanese immigrants who altered kimonos into shirts.

At the long-established aloha shirt shop “Kahala,” which celebrates the 90th anniversary of its opening this year, commemorative items featuring Japanese patterns such as Momotaro were on display. Momotaro is one of Japan’s most famous folktales about a boy born from a giant peach who fights demons.

Ichiriki and Shibano listened with keen interest as the shop staff explained about aloha shirts to them.