Nihon Ki-in


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 Oza. There are also separate Honinbo, Meijin, and Kisei titles for women.

Major Title Winners by Year

: Kansai Ki-in player
YearKiseiMeijinHoninboJudanTengenGoseiOza
1941--Riichi Sekiyama----
1943--Utaro Hashimoto----
1945--Kaoru Iwamoto----
1947--Kaoru Iwamoto----
1950--Utaro Hashimoto----
1951--Utaro Hashimoto*----
1952--Kaku Takagawa----
1953--Kaku Takagawa---Utaro Hashimoto*
1954--Kaku Takagawa---Kaku Takagawa
1955--Kaku Takagawa---Utaro Hashimoto*
1956--Kaku Takagawa---Utaro Hashimoto*
1957--Kaku Takagawa---Shimamura Toshihiro
1958--Kaku Takagawa---Hosai Fujisawa
1959--Kaku Takagawa---Shoji Hashimoto*
1960--Kaku Takagawa---Dogen Handa*
1961--Eio Sakata---Eio Sakata
1962-Fujisawa HideyukiEio SakataUtaro Hashimoto*--Hidehiro Miyashita
1963-Eio SakataEio SakataDogen Handa--Eio Sakata
1964-Eio SakataEio SakataHosai Fujisawa--Eio Sakata
1965-Rin KaihoEio SakataKaku Takagawa--Dogen Handa*
1966-Rin KaihoEio SakataEio Sakata--Eio Sakata
1967-Rin KaihoEio SakataEio Sakata--Fujisawa Hideyuki
1968-Kaku TakagawaRin KaihoEio Sakata--Fujisawa Hideyuki
1969-Rin KaihoRin KaihoHideo Otake--Fujisawa Hideyuki
1970-Fujisawa HideyukiRin Kaiho---Eio Sakata
1971-Rin KaihoYoshio IshidaUtaro Hashimoto*--Eio Sakata
1972-Rin KaihoYoshio IshidaEio Sakata--Eio Sakata
1973-Rin KaihoYoshio IshidaEio Sakata--Rin Kaiho
1974-Yoshio IshidaYoshio IshidaShoji Hashimoto*--Yoshio Ishida
1975-Hideo OtakeYoshio IshidaRin KaihoFujisawa Hideyuki-Hideo Otake
1976-Hideo OtakeMasaki TakemiyaMasao KatoKobayashi KoichiMasao KatoCho Chikun
1977Fujisawa HideyukiRin KaihoMasao KatoMasao KatoShimamura ToshihiroMasao KatoNorio Kudo
1978Fujisawa HideyukiHideo OtakeMasao KatoMasao KatoMasao KatoHideo OtakeYoshio Ishida
1979Fujisawa HideyukiHideo OtakeMasao KatoMasao KatoMasao KatoCho ChikunMasao Kato
1980Fujisawa HideyukiCho ChikunMasaki TakemiyaHideo OtakeMasao KatoHideo OtakeMasao Kato
1981Fujisawa HideyukiCho ChikunCho ChikunHideo OtakeMasao KatoHideo OtakeShoji Hashimoto*
1982Fujisawa HideyukiCho ChikunCho ChikunCho ChikunKataoka SatoshiHideo OtakeMasao Kato
1983Cho ChikunCho ChikunRin KaihoMasao KatoKataoka SatoshiHideo OtakeMasao Kato
1984Cho ChikunCho ChikunRin KaihoKobayashi KoichiYoshio IshidaHideo OtakeMasao Kato
1985Cho ChikunKobayashi KoichiMasaki TakemiyaKobayashi KoichiKobayashi KoichiHideo OtakeMasao Kato
1986Kobayashi KoichiMasao KatoMasaki TakemiyaKobayashi KoichiKobayashi KoichiCho ChikunMasao Kato
1987Kobayashi KoichiMasao KatoMasaki TakemiyaMasao KatoCho ChikunMasao KatoMasao Kato
1988Kobayashi KoichiKobayashi KoichiMasaki TakemiyaCho ChikunCho ChikunKobayashi KoichiMasao Kato
1989Kobayashi KoichiKobayashi KoichiCho ChikunCho ChikunRin KaihoKobayashi KoichiMasao Kato
1990Kobayashi KoichiKobayashi KoichiCho ChikunMasaki TakemiyaRin KaihoKobayashi KoichiYasumasa Hane
1991Kobayashi KoichiKobayashi KoichiCho ChikunMasaki TakemiyaRin KaihoKobayashi KoichiFujisawa Hideyuki
1992Kobayashi KoichiKobayashi KoichiCho ChikunMasaki TakemiyaRin KaihoKobayashi KoichiFujisawa Hideyuki
1993Kobayashi KoichiKobayashi KoichiCho ChikunHideo OtakeRin KaihoKobayashi KoichiMasao Kato
1994Cho ChikunKobayashi KoichiCho ChikunHideo OtakeRyu ShikunRin KaihoCho Chikun
1995Satoru KobayashiMasaki TakemiyaCho ChikunNorimoto YodaRyu ShikunSatoru KobayashiO Rissei
1996Cho ChikunCho ChikunCho ChikunNorimoto YodaRyu ShikunNorimoto YodaRyu Shikun
1997Cho ChikunCho ChikunCho ChikunMasao KatoKudo NorioNorimoto YodaKimio Yamada
1998Cho ChikunCho ChikunCho ChikunNaoto HikosakaKobayashi KoichiNorimoto YodaO Rissei
1999Cho ChikunCho ChikunCho SonjinKobayashi KoichiKobayashi KoichiKobayashi KoichiO Rissei
2000O RisseiNorimoto YodaO MeienKobayashi KoichiRyu ShikunKeigo YamashitaO Rissei
2001O RisseiNorimoto YodaO MeienO RisseiNaoki HaneKobayashi KoichiCho Chikun
2002O RisseiNorimoto YodaMasao KatoO RisseiNaoki HaneKobayashi KoichiO Meien
2003Keigo YamashitaNorimoto YodaCho UO RisseiNaoki HaneNorimoto YodaCho U
2004Naoki HaneCho UCho UO RisseiKeigo YamashitaNorimoto YodaCho U
2005Naoki HaneCho UShinji TakaoCho ChikunKono RinNorimoto YodaCho U
2006Keigo YamashitaShinji TakaoShinji TakaoCho ChikunKono RinCho UKeigo Yamashita
2007Keigo YamashitaCho UShinji TakaoCho ChikunKono RinCho UKeigo Yamashita
2008Keigo YamashitaCho UNaoki HaneShinji TakaoCho UCho UCho U
2009Keigo YamashitaYuta IyamaNaoki HaneCho UKeigo YamashitaCho UCho U
2010Cho UYuta IyamaKeigo YamashitaCho USatoshi Yuki*Sakai Hideyuki*Cho U
2011Cho UKeigo YamashitaKeigo YamashitaYuta IyamaYuta IyamaNaoki HaneCho U
2012Cho UKeigo YamashitaYuta IyamaYuta IyamaYuta IyamaYuta IyamaYuta Iyama
2013Yuta IyamaYuta IyamaYuta IyamaSatoshi YukiYuta IyamaYuta IyamaYuta Iyama
2014Yuta IyamaYuta IyamaYuta IyamaShinji TakaoShinji TakaoYuta IyamaDaisuke Murakawa*
2015Yuta IyamaYuta IyamaYuta IyamaIda AtsushiYuta IyamaYuta IyamaYuta Iyama
2016Yuta IyamaShinji TakaoYuta IyamaYuta IyamaYuta IyamaYuta IyamaYuta Iyama
2017Yuta IyamaYuta IyamaYuta IyamaYuta IyamaYuta IyamaYuta IyamaYuta Iyama
2018Yuta IyamaCho UYuta IyamaYuta IyamaYuta IyamaKyo KagenYuta Iyama
2019Yuta IyamaToramaru ShibanoYuta IyamaDaisuke Murakawa*Yuta IyamaNaoki HaneToramaru Shibano
2020Yuta IyamaToramaru Shibano
YearKiseiMeijinHoninboJudanTengenGoseiOza

Organization