Kansai Ki-in

The Kansai Ki-in is one of the professional go bodies in Japan, just like the Nihon Ki-in. Shortly after the Second World War the Nihon Ki-in set up a Western Japan branch. The main driver for this was the increasing difficulty professionals from the Osaka region experienced during the war traveling to Tokyo for their professional activities. When a dispute over the Honinbo title arose between the Tokyo and Osaka branches, the latter declared itself independent in September 1950 and the Kansai Ki-in was born. The founder was Hashimoto Utaro.

Here is the link to Kansai Kiin's official website; be aware that it is exclusively in Japanese.

Publisher of Igo Shincho and Gekkan Gogaku magazines.

(The Kansai is the region of Japan west of the old barrier at Hakone, as opposed to the Kanto region including Tokyo.)

Kansai Kiin location

See also Kansai Ki In First Place Championship, and Professional Go Associations.