List of Go players
Japan

List of Go players

Section Title: Japan
Table Section Text: None

Origin	Name	DOB–DOD	Peak rank	Notes

Japan	Kensaku Segoe (瀬越憲作)	1889–1972	9 dan	was the teacher of three of the greatest players of 20th century: Utaro Hashimoto (Japan), Go Seigen (China) and Cho Hunhyun (Korea).

Japan	Kaoru Iwamoto (岩本薫)	1902–1999	9 dan	founder of Iwamoto Foundation for Go promotion in foreign countries.

Japan	Utaro Hashimoto (橋本宇太郎)	1907–1994	9 dan	was the founder of the Kansai Ki-in. A student of Segoe

Japan	Minoru Kitani (木谷実)	1909–1975	9 dan	was a great friend and rival to Go Seigen. Go and Kitani were the co-authors of the Shinfuseki or "New Opening", a great advance in go opening theory.

Japan	Toshihiro Shimamura (島村俊廣)	1912–1991	9 dan

Japan	Dogen Handa (半田道玄)	1914–1974	9 dan

Republic of China (1912–1949)	Go Seigen (呉清源)	1914–2014	9 dan	Wu Qingyuan in Chinese. He is considered to be one of the greatest players of all time.

Japan	Kaku Takagawa (高川格)	1915–1986	9 dan	The first of only five players to receive the Honorary Honinbo title, thus known as the 22nd Honinbo.

Japan	Hosai Fujisawa (藤沢朋斎)	1919–1993	9 dan	one of the greatest players of the 1960s.

Japan	Eio Sakata (坂田栄男)	1920–2010	9 dan	his nicknames include "Razor Sakata", the "Master of myoushu" (brilliant move). He was the previous holder of most championship titles with 64 wins.

Japan	Masao Sugiuchi (杉内雅男)	1920–	9 dan	nicknamed "the God of Go" for his serious attitude towards Go. Affiliate of the Nihon Ki-in.

Japan	Takeo Kajiwara (梶原武雄)	1923–2009	9 dan	one of the "three crows".

Japan	Hideyuki Fujisawa (藤沢秀行)	1925–2009	9 dan	was awarded the Honorary Kisei after winning the Kisei 6 times in a row. Won Oza title at the age of 67.

Japan	Toshiro Yamabe (山部俊郎)	1926–2000	9 dan	one of the "three crows".

Japan	Keizo Suzuki (鈴木圭三)	1927–1945	3 dan	one of the "three crows".

Japan	Yasuro Kikuchi (菊池康郎)	1929–	8 dan	is the most famous amateur go player in Japan.

Japan	Shuzo Ohira (大平修三)	1930–1998	9 dan

Japan	Shoji Hashimoto (橋本昌二)	1935–	9 dan	Affiliate of the Kansai Ki-In.

Japan	Norio Kudo (工藤紀夫)	1940–	9 dan	current President for the International Go Federation. Affiliate of the Nihon Ki-In.

Japan	Kunio Ishii (石井邦生)	1941–	9 dan	teacher of Yuta Iyama.

Japan	Hideo Otake (大竹英雄)	1942–	9 dan	Lifetime Gosei.

Taiwan	Rin Kaiho (林海峰)	1942–	9 dan	was one of Go Seigen's students. Known for winning many titles at a young age. Affiliate of the Nihon Ki-in.

Japan	Yasumasa Hane (羽根泰正)	1944–	9 dan	father of Hane Naoki.

Japan	Kunihisa Honda (本田邦久)	1945–	9 dan

Japan	Masao Kato (加藤正夫)	1947–2004	9 dan	Nick named "Kato the Killer", for his masterful, aggressive style.

Japan	Yoshio Ishida (石田芳夫)	1948–	9 dan	is the youngest ever Honinbo winner and one of the strongest players of the 1970s. TV commentator.

Japan	Shuzo Awaji (淡路修三)	1949–	9 dan	famous for his Go school. Affiliate of the Nihon Ki-In.

Japan	Masaki Takemiya (武宮正樹)	1951–	9 dan	is famous for his 'cosmic style', aiming for territory in the center of the board rather than the sides. Affiliate of the Nihon Ki-In.

Japan	Koichi Kobayashi (小林光一)	1952–	9 dan	has the third most titles in Japan with 57. Affiliate of the Nihon Ki-In.

South Korea	Cho Chikun (조치훈, 趙治勳)	1956–	9 dan	Cho Chihun in Korean, is among the best players of the 20th century. He won almost half (29 out of 60) of the biggest 3 titles (Honinbo, Kisei, and Meijin tournaments) in 1980-1999, including ten consecutive Honinbo titles for which he is accorded the title of 25th Honinbo.

Taiwan	O Rissei (王立誠)	1958–	9 dan	one of the first Taiwanese Go players to become a professional in Japan. Affiliate of the Nihon Ki-In.

Japan	Hiroshi Yamashiro (山城宏)	1958–	9 dan	Affiliate of the Nihon Ki-In.

Japan	Satoshi Kataoka (片岡聡)	1958–	9 dan	Affiliate of the Nihon Ki-In.

Japan	Satoru Kobayashi (小林覚)	1959–	9 dan	Affiliate of the Nihon Ki-In.

Taiwan	O Meien (王銘琬)	1961–	9 dan	famous for his "Meien-isms", a special way of opening a game. Affiliate of the Nihon Ki-In.

United States	Michael Redmond (マイケル・レドモンド)	1963–	9 dan	is the only (as of February 2008) non-Asian (American) to attain rank of 9-dan. TV commentator for the Japanese network NHK.

Japan	Norimoto Yoda (依田紀基)	1966–	9 dan	Has one of the best track records in international tournaments for Japan, having won Samsung Fire Cup and being runners-up in Ing Cup, both in 1996.

Japan	Kikuyo Aoki (青木喜久代)	1968–	8 dan	Affiliate of the Nihon Ki-In.

Japan	Tomoyasu Mimura (三村智保)	1969–	9 dan	Affiliate of the Nihon Ki-In.

South Korea	Cho Sonjin (조선진, 趙善津)	1970–	9 dan	Affiliate of the Nihon Ki-In.

South Korea	Ryu Shikun (류시훈, 柳時熏)	1971–	9 dan	Affiliate of the Nihon Ki-In.

Japan	Kimio Yamada (山田規三生)	1972–	9 dan	Affiliate of the Nihon Ki-In.

Japan	Satoshi Yuki (結城聡)	1972–	9 dan	The third youngest player to become a professional, and second youngest professional for the Kansai Ki-in. Affiliate of the Kansai Ki-In.

Japan	Yukari Yoshihara (吉原由香里)	1973–	6 dan	The Go player who supervised the production of the manga Hikaru no Go. Affiliate of the Nihon Ki-In.

Japan	Hideyuki Sakai (坂井秀至)	1973–	8 dan	Won the World Amateur Go Championship in 2000. Promoted to professional at age 28 after winning 4 of 4 "test" games against two strong professionals (2 games each against 5d and 7d).

Japan	Shinji Takao (高尾紳路)	1976–	9 dan	Affiliate of the Nihon Ki-in.

Japan	Naoki Hane (羽根直樹)	1976–	9 dan	In 2002, Hane broke the record for fastest promotion to 9 dan in Nihon Ki-in history. Affiliate of the Nihon Ki-in.

Japan	Keigo Yamashita (山下敬吾)	1978–	9 dan	Has an innovative style harking back to shinfuseki. Affiliate of the Nihon Ki-in.

Japan	Kaori Aoba (青葉 かおり)	1978–	4 dan	First professional to be defeated by a Go engine with a conventional handicap. Affiliate of the Nihon Ki-in.

Taiwan	Cho U (張栩)	1980–	9 dan	In 2003, Cho U broke the record for fastest promotion to 9 dan in Nihon Ki-in history. Affiliate of the Nihon Ki-in.

Japan	Rin Kono (河野臨)	1981–	9 dan	Affiliate of the Nihon Ki-In.

Japan	Yuta Iyama (井山裕太)	1989–	9 dan	In 2016, became the first person to hold all seven titles at the same time. Became the youngest title holder ever in 2005 after winning the Agon Cup.

Japan	Daisuke Murakawa (村川大介)	1990–	7 dan	The youngest Kansai Ki-in pro ever. Affiliate of the Kansai Ki-in.

Sentence(s)

Koichi Kobayashi (小林 光一 born 1952) is a Japanese Go player.

final_sentence: Koichi Kobayashi (小林 光一 born 1952) is a Japanese Go player.