The Nihon Ki-in (), also known as the Japan Go Association, is the main organizational body for Go in Japan, overseeing Japan's professional system and issuing diplomas for amateur dan rankings. It is based in Tokyo. The other major Go association in Japan is Kansai Ki-in. Its innovations include the Oteai system of promotion, time limits in professional games, and the introduction of issuing diplomas to strong amateur players, to affirm their ranks.
History The Nihon Ki-in was established in July 1924. The first president of the Nihon Ki-in was Makino Nobuaki, a great Go patron himself, with Okura Kishichiro serving as vice president. The vast majority of pros at the time joined the fledgling organization, excepting the Inoue faction in Osaka and Nozawa Chikucho. A brief splinter group called Kiseisha was created soon after the Nihon Ki-in was formed, but most of the players involved had returned to the Nihon Ki-in within a couple of years. Then in 1950, its western branch split away to form the Kansai Ki-in.
Tournaments The Nihon Ki-in organizes many tournaments for professional players. The major title tournaments include the Kisei, Meijin, Honinbo, Judan, Tengen, Gosei, and the Ōza. There are also separate Honinbo, Meijin, and Kisei titles for women.
Major title winners by year All names below are given in surname-first order.
(*): Kansai Ki-in player Year Kisei Meijin Honinbo Judan Tengen Gosei Ōza 1941 - - Sekiyama Riichi - - - - 1943 - - Hashimoto Utaro - - - - 1945 - - Iwamoto Kaoru - - - - 1947 - - Iwamoto Kaoru - - - - 1950 - - Hashimoto Utaro - - - - 1951 - - Hashimoto Utaro - - - - 1952 - - Takagawa Kaku - - - - 1953 - - Takagawa Kaku - - - Hashimoto Utaro* 1954 - - Takagawa Kaku - - - Takagawa Kaku 1955 - - Takagawa Kaku - - - Hashimoto Utaro* 1956 - - Takagawa Kaku - - - Hashimoto Utaro* 1957 - - Takagawa Kaku - - - Shimamura Toshihiro 1958 - - Takagawa Kaku - - - Fujisawa Hosai 1959 - - Takagawa Kaku - - - Hashimoto Shoji* 1960 - - Takagawa Kaku - - - Handa Dogen* 1961 - - Sakata Eio - - - Sakata Eio 1962 - Fujisawa Hideyuki Sakata Eio Hashimoto Utaro* - - Miyashita Hidehiro 1963 - Sakata Eio Sakata Eio Handa Dogen - - Sakata Eio 1964 - Sakata Eio Sakata Eio Fujisawa Hosai - - Sakata Eio 1965 - Rin Kaiho Sakata Eio Takagawa Kaku - - Handa Dogen* 1966 - Rin Kaiho Sakata Eio Sakata Eio - - Sakata Eio 1967 - Rin Kaiho Sakata Eio Sakata Eio - - Fujisawa Hideyuki 1968 - Takagawa Kaku Rin Kaiho Sakata Eio - - Fujisawa Hideyuki 1969 - Rin Kaiho Rin Kaiho Otake Hideo - - Fujisawa Hideyuki 1970 - Fujisawa Hideyuki Rin Kaiho - - - Sakata Eio 1971 - Rin Kaiho Ishida Yoshio Hashimoto Utaro* - - Sakata Eio 1972 - Rin Kaiho Ishida Yoshio Sakata Eio - - Sakata Eio 1973 - Rin Kaiho Ishida Yoshio Sakata Eio - - Rin Kaiho 1974 - Ishida Yoshio Ishida Yoshio Hashimoto Shoji* - - Ishida Yoshio 1975 - Otake Hideo Ishida Yoshio Rin Kaiho Fujisawa Hideyuki - Otake Hideo 1976 - Otake Hideo Takemiya Masaki Kato Masao Kobayashi Koichi Kato Masao Cho Chikun 1977 Fujisawa Hideyuki Rin Kaiho Kato Masao Kato Masao Shimamura Toshihiro Kato Masao Kudo Norio 1978 Fujisawa Hideyuki Otake Hideo Kato Masao Kato Masao Kato Masao Otake Hideo Ishida Yoshio 1979 Fujisawa Hideyuki Otake Hideo Kato Masao Kato Masao Kato Masao Cho Chikun Kato Masao 1980 Fujisawa Hideyuki Cho Chikun Takemiya Masaki Otake Hideo Kato Masao Otake Hideo Kato Masao 1981 Fujisawa Hideyuki Cho Chikun Cho Chikun Otake Hideo Kato Masao Otake Hideo Hashimoto Shoji* 1982 Fujisawa Hideyuki Cho Chikun Cho Chikun Cho Chikun Kataoka Satoshi Otake Hideo Kato Masao 1983 Cho Chikun Cho Chikun Rin Kaiho Kato Masao Kataoka Satoshi Otake Hideo Kato Masao 1984 Cho Chikun Cho Chikun Rin Kaiho Kobayashi Koichi Ishida Yoshio Otake Hideo Kato Masao 1985 Cho Chikun Kobayashi Koichi Takemiya Masaki Kobayashi Koichi Kobayashi Koichi Otake Hideo Kato Masao 1986 Kobayashi Koichi Kato Masao Takemiya Masaki Kobayashi Koichi Kobayashi Koichi Cho Chikun Kato Masao 1987 Kobayashi Koichi Kato Masao Takemiya Masaki Kato Masao Cho Chikun Kato Masao Kato Masao 1988 Kobayashi Koichi Kobayashi Koichi Takemiya Masaki Cho Chikun Cho Chikun Kobayashi Koichi Kato Masao 1989 Kobayashi Koichi Kobayashi Koichi Cho Chikun Cho Chikun Rin Kaiho Kobayashi Koichi Kato Masao 1990 Kobayashi Koichi Kobayashi Koichi Cho Chikun Takemiya Masaki Rin Kaiho Kobayashi Koichi Hane Yasumasa 1991 Kobayashi Koichi Kobayashi Koichi Cho Chikun Takemiya Masaki Rin Kaiho Kobayashi Koichi Fujisawa Hideyuki 1992 Kobayashi Koichi Kobayashi Koichi Cho Chikun Takemiya Masaki Rin Kaiho Kobayashi Koichi Fujisawa Hideyuki 1993 Kobayashi Koichi Kobayashi Koichi Cho Chikun Otake Hideo Rin Kaiho Kobayashi Koichi Kato Masao 1994 Cho Chikun Kobayashi Koichi Cho Chikun Otake Hideo Ryu Shikun Rin Kaiho Cho Chikun 1995 Kobayashi Satoru Takemiya Masaki Cho Chikun Yoda Norimoto Ryu Shikun Kobayashi Satoru O Rissei 1996 Cho Chikun Cho Chikun Cho Chikun Yoda Norimoto Ryu Shikun Yoda Norimoto Ryu Shikun 1997 Cho Chikun Cho Chikun Cho Chikun Kato Masao Kudo Norio Yoda Norimoto Yamada Kimio 1998 Cho Chikun Cho Chikun Cho Chikun Hikosaka Naoto Kobayashi Koichi Yoda Norimoto O Rissei 1999 Cho Chikun Cho Chikun Cho Sonjin Kobayashi Koichi Kobayashi Koichi Kobayashi Koichi O Rissei 2000 O Rissei Yoda Norimoto O Meien Kobayashi Koichi Ryu Shikun Yamashita Keigo O Rissei 2001 O Rissei Yoda Norimoto O Meien O Rissei Hane Naoki Kobayashi Koichi Cho Chikun 2002 O Rissei Yoda Norimoto Kato Masao O Rissei Hane Naoki Kobayashi Koichi O Meien 2003 Yamashita Keigo Yoda Norimoto Cho U O Rissei Hane Naoki Yoda Norimoto Cho U 2004 Hane Naoki Cho U Cho U O Rissei Yamashita Keigo Yoda Norimoto Cho U 2005 Hane Naoki Cho U Takao Shinji Cho Chikun Kono Rin Yoda Norimoto Cho U 2006 Yamashita Keigo Takao Shinji Takao Shinji Cho Chikun Kono Rin Cho U Yamashita Keigo 2007 Yamashita Keigo Cho U Takao Shinji Cho Chikun Kono Rin Cho U Yamashita Keigo 2008 Yamashita Keigo Cho U Hane Naoki Takao Shinji Cho U Cho U Cho U 2009 Yamashita Keigo Iyama Yuta Hane Naoki Cho U Yamashita Keigo Cho U Cho U 2010 Cho U Iyama Yuta Yamashita Keigo Cho U Yuki Satoshi* Sakai Hideyuki* Cho U 2011 Cho U Yamashita Keigo Yamashita Keigo Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta Hane Naoki Cho U 2012 Cho U Yamashita Keigo Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta 2013 Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta Yuki Satoshi Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta 2014 Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta Takao Shinji Takao Shinji Iyama Yuta Murakawa Daisuke* 2015 Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta Ida Atsushi Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta 2016 Iyama Yuta Takao Shinji Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta 2017 Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta 2018 Iyama Yuta Cho U Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta Kyo Kagen Iyama Yuta 2019 Iyama Yuta Shibano Toramaru Iyama Yuta Murakawa Daisuke* Iyama Yuta Hane Naoki Shibano Toramaru 2020 Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta Shibano Toramaru Ichiriki Ryo Ichiriki Ryo Shibano Toramaru 2021 Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta Kyo Kagen Seki Kotaro Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta 2022 Ichiriki Ryo Shibano Toramaru Iyama Yuta Kyo Kagen Seki Kotaro Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta 2023 Ichiriki Ryo Shibano Toramaru Ichiriki Ryo Shibano Toramaru Ichiriki Ryo Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta 2024 Ichiriki Ryo Ichiriki Ryo Ichiriki Ryo Iyama Yuta Ichiriki Ryo Iyama Yuta Iyama Yuta 2025 Ichiriki Ryo Ichiriki Ryo Ichiriki Ryo Shibano Toramaru Ichiriki Ryo Iyama Yuta Ichiriki Ryo 2026 Shibano Toramaru Shibano Toramaru Year Kisei Meijin Honinbo Judan Tengen Gosei Ōza
Organization Tokyo Headquarters (Ichigaya): 7-2 Goban-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Tokyo Yurakucho Igo Center: 9F Tokyo Kotsu-Kaikan, 2-10-1 Yuraku-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Osaka Headquarters: 10F Applause Tower, 19-19 Sayamachi, Osaka Osaka Umeda Igo Salon: 6F Hankyu Five Annex Building, 1-23 Sumidacho, Kita-ku, Osaka Chubu Headquarters: 1-19 Syumoku-cho, Higashi-ku, Nagoya The Nihon Ki-in European Go Cultural Centre: Schokland14,1181 HV Amstelveen, Netherlands Nihon Ki-in Do Brasil: R. Dr Fabricio Vampre No116, Ana Rosa - São Paulo - Brazil Nihon Ki-in Go Institute of The West U.S.A.: 700 N.E., 45th Street, Seattle WA
See also
International Go Federation List of professional Go tournaments All Japan Student Go Federation Hanguk Kiwon (Korean Go Association) Zhongguo Qiyuan (governing body for mind game organizations, including Chinese Go Association) Taiwan Chi-Yuan (Taiwanese Go Association) Hoensha American Go Association British Go Association Irish Go Association European Go Federation Singapore Weiqi Association Hong Kong Go Association New Zealand Go Society
References
External links
Nihon Ki-in English Website