Outside the Ki-ins

(or "One-page history of the most turbulent years of Go in Japan")

Late 19th to 20th-century groupings of pro players in Japan. These are of historical interest, mainly.

Four Houses

• The Yasui house became extinct in 1903.
• The Honinbo house came to an end in 1940 with the death of Shusai; it had incorporated the Hayashi house since Shuei joined it.
• The Inoue house moved from Tokyo to Osaka and continued formally long after the Meiji era, to the late 20th century.

New Groups

• 1869: Rokuninkai 六人会 - the first inter-house study group in the Meiji era
• (1871: State stipends for the four houses stopped)
• 1879-1924: Hoensha 方円社 - Honinbo Shuho (died in 1886). Published Igo Shinpo magazine.
• 1888-?: Seinen Igo Kenkyu-kai 青年囲碁研究会 - Seki Genkichi and Ishii Senji
• 1892-94: Igo Shoreikai 囲碁奨励会, 1895-1904: Shishokai 四象会 and 1905-07: Nihon Igo-kai 日本囲碁会 - Honinbo Shuei (died in 1907)
• 1907-08: Kogyoku-kai 敲玉会　- Karigane Junichi
• 1908-20: Kansai Igokai 関西囲碁会 and 1921-24 Ekishusha 奕秋社 - Kansai area
• 1909-12: Igo Doshikai 囲碁同志会 - splinter group from Hoensha. Published Igo Sekai magazine.
• 1920-24: Rikka-kai 六華会 - group of young players from all factions
• 1922: Nihon Igo Kyo-kai 日本囲碁協会 - aborted attempt at unification by Yano Yoshijiro
• 1922-24: Hiseikai 裨聖会　 - Karigane and three other top players
• 1923-24: Chuo Ki-in 中央棋院 - mainly Honinbo house under Shusai.
• (1923: Great Kanto Earthquake. The disaster prompted all factions to unite)
• 1924: Nihon Kiin 日本棋院 established.
• 1924-: Kiseisha 棋正社 - Karigane and four others soon left the Kiin
• 1926: Teikoku Ki-in 帝国棋院 - failed attempt at unification of the two above by Shoriki Matsutaro
• (1928: Go Seigen came to Japan)
• 1929-45: Tokai Ki-in 東海棋院 - Chubu area
• (1938: Honinbo Shusai, the last lifetime Meijin, played his retirement game vs Kitani Minoru. Died two years later in 1940.)
• 1939-45: Manshu Kiin? 満洲棋院 - Nihon Kiin branch in Manchuria, later tried to go independent
• 1941-45: Kido Hokoku-kai 棋道報国会 - Unified Shogi and Go organization during the Pacific War.
• (1941: 1st Honinbo title match)
• 1941-: Keiinsha 瓊韻社 - Karigane and his pupils left Kiseisha. Takabe Dohei alone remained in the Kiseisha.
• (1945: End of World War II)
• 1947-49:Igo Shinsha 囲碁新社 - group of 8 young players, all returned to the Nihon Kiin by 1949.
• 1948: Reimeikai 黎明会 and 1950: Gyofukai 暁風会 - study groups, not political
• 1950: Kansai Kiin 関西棋院 went independent.
• Late 1960's-: Seihokai 清峰会 - study group around Go Seigen and his pupil Rin Kaiho