『Igo Festa 2023』 will be held on May 3 (Wed., national holiday) in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture. We are looking forward to the participation of a well-known female Go player who became a professional at the age of 19 and a former Seitei of 「Igo Salon Citrus」 and a Go instructor.
Igo with grandchildren (image from 『photoAC』)
Outline of 『Igo Festa 2023』
The theme of the Igo Festa is 「Learning the History of Igo」 and is held as a cultural creation and promotion project for children.
This time, Yohei Shimojima 8-dan (from Nagano Prefecture), Hiiragi Terada 2-dan (from Ishikawa Prefecture), Ayako Sakuramoto 1-dan (from Fukui Prefecture) and Igo instructors Kana Nagao, Reimei Miyagishi and Noriyuki Suzuki (6-dan amateur) will participate.
A child learning to play Igo (image from 『photoAC』)
「The history of Igo! Various Quizzes」 will be led by Yohei Shimojima 8-dan, a member of the Chubu General Headquarters of the Nihon Ki-in, and will be fun to watch.
Also, as the flyer states in advance, 「Even if you don’t know how to play Igo, you will be able to play in 30 minutes!」 As the flyer claims in advance, there will also be many events in which professionals will act as instructors and teach you how to play Igo.
The instruction fee is free for high school students and younger (free of charge), and for adults it is 1,000 yen for professionals and 500 yen for amateurs. In addition, there are prizes for each win in 「free games」 (A, B, and C classes).
The membership fee is 1,000 yen for high school students and younger and 2,000 yen for adults, but there is no membership fee for the 「Beginners Corner」, where you can learn how to play Go.
A child being taught Go (image from 『photoAC』)
About Ayako Sakuramoto
Ayako Sakuramoto, who was 19 years old when she was an insei at the Chubu General Headquarters of Nihon Ki-in, attracted attention when it was confirmed that she would become a professional Go player in April 2022: 「A 19-year-old Igo girl is now a professional」.
Ayako Sakuramoto looked up to Tomoko Ogawa 7-dan (passed away in November 2019 at the age of 68) as her teacher. At the press conference at the time, recalling her teacher’s style of Go, she said, 「I want to play beautiful Igo like my teacher. 」She also expressed her enthusiasm, saying, 「I want to think of moves that are unique to me, without relying on AI」.
About Kana Nagao
Kana Nagao is known as a strong women’s amateur Go player, and around 2018 she was running the Igo salon Citrus in Tsubata-cho, Ishikawa Prefecture, as a seitei. Citrus will reopen in April 2023, and the new owner is Reimei Miyagishi aka “Miyaree”.
Kana Nagao (nee Oshida) married Kentaro Nagao, an assistant professor at Nagoya University and a mathematician, in 2009 because of Go. Kentaro won a prize in the 「Mathematical Olympiad」 when he was in the 6th grade of elementary school, and participated in the 「International Mathematical Olympiad」 in junior high and high school for four consecutive years, winning silver and gold medals. Hana has been an accomplished player in the National High School Igo Championship since her days at Kanazawa Izumigaoka High School in Ishikawa Prefecture, and Kentaro met her because she also enjoyed playing Igo. However, Kentaro passed away in October 2013 at the young age of 31 due to cancer. Kana was 33 years old and her son Sota was around 3 years old.
His son Sota also learned Go, and in March of this year, the 『Hanamaru Gakkai Cup 26th Junior Honinbo Tournament』 resulted in a match between 「Sota Nagao vs. Soto Hirano」, with 「Sota Nagao winning for the first time」.
This time, we expect to see how Ayako Sakuramoto 1-dan, a female Igo player, and Kana Nagao, a Igo instructor, will teach us.
History of Igo Festa
A scene from a game of Igo (image from 『photoAC』)
Last year’s Igo Festa was held on May 1 at the Kanazawa Monozukuri Kaikan and was attended by Hiiragi Terada 2-dan and Kana Nagao. The Igo Festa is an event organized by the Ishikawa Federation of Nihon Ki-in Branches, and the 「Aozora Igo Festa」 was held in May 2016 at the plaza in front of the Shininoki Guest House. According to a blog by a participant at that time, events like 「Aozora Igo Festa」 had been held before that, so it may have a long history.
Upcoming Events
| Event Name | Igo Festa |
| Date and Time | Wednesday, May 3, 2023 (National Holiday)( 10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.) |
| Venue | Kanazawa Port Cruise Terminal, 2nd floor, Seminar Room |
| Location | Kanazawa Port Cruise Terminal, Ri65 Muryuji-cho, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture |
| Phone number | 076-225-7030 |
| Related information | 『Syuta Terada』Twitter |
