Go Fans in Hawaii Excited to See Professional Players in Action During Kisei Title Series

The Yomiuri Shimbun

21:35 JST, January 22, 2026

HONOLULU — With the 50th Kisei title series, the most prestigious title in the world of Go, to kick off in Hawaii on Thursday, local fans were excitedly awaiting the match.

In the best-of-seven series, Ryo Ichiriki, 28, is seeking his fifth consecutive Kisei title. He will play against Judan title holder Toramaru Shibano, 26, who is making his bid for the Kisei title for the first time. The first match of the series, sponsored by The Yomiuri Shimbun and held with the special support of Suntory Holdings Ltd., is set to start at 9 a.m. on Thursday.

In Hawaii, the board game has been enjoyed for a long time, mainly by Japanese immigrants.

Brian Johnson, who teaches high schoolers English literature at Punahou School, has held classes on the theme of “Buddhist Philosophy and the Game of Go” at the school since 2008. The 48-year-old teacher said about 200 students attend the class every year, and most of them have no experience playing Go.

His classes always have a 30-minute game of Go. Students start out using mini boards designed for beginners but aim to eventually play on the regular boards used by professionals.

Johnson said Go games allow players to share what is inside them with their opponent. The biggest appeal of the game, he added, is that players can build relationships with others through their games.

In Hawaii, Go lovers formed a group in the early 1900s, which had more than 100 members before the outbreak of World War II.

In 1947, the Hawaii Kiin was established as a branch of Japan’s Go association Nihon Ki-in. In 1997, the 21st Kisei title series was held in Hawaii to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Hawaiian branch.

Chloe McCreery, a 25-year-old student from the University of Hawaii’s medical department, studied Go in one of Johnson’s classes. In January last year, she restarted a university Go club that had gone on hiatus. The club initially had only about 10 members but now boasts about 60.

McCreery, who respects Ichiriki, said she was very glad the event is being held in Hawaii, as she will have opportunities to talk with professional players and enthusiasts from Japan.

As a founder of the Honolulu Go Club, Sidney Kobashigawa was among the local fans who celebrated Hawaii hosting the title series at an event held on Wednesday evening at Japan’s Consulate General in Honolulu.

Born in the city, Kobashigawa learned the board game when he was around junior high school age. He finished sixth in the fourth edition of the world amateur championship in 1982.

Kobashigawa had enjoyed playing Go at Hawaii Kiin since 1972, but saw that its membership was not growing. He said it is particularly difficult for adults to regularly play the board game while maintaining a balance with their jobs and families.

In a bid to seek new Go lovers, Kobashigawa launched the Honolulu Go Club in 2008 with a friend. The club was initially just the two of them, but now about 15 play the game every Saturday at his home. The club often takes part in local events to introduce the rules of Go to beginners.

Kobashigawa observed matches by professional players when the Kisei series was held in Hawaii in 1988 and 1997. He said Hawaii’s Go community used to enjoy much closer ties with its Japanese counterpart, adding that he hopes the latest edition of the series will serve as an opportunity for the two sides to develop an active relationship.