Saijo Masataka

Saijo Masataka (西條 雅孝 Saijō Masataka, 1941-2021) was a Nihon Ki-in professional Go player who reached 8-dan in 1981.

Saijo was a regular visitor of the European Go Congress. He was appointed Honorary Go Teacher of the European Go Federation [1].

Both Catalin Taranu and Cristian Pop spent their insei years with Saijo as sensei.

An informal obituary was written by Robert Jasiek on L19, in which he states that Saijo

attended every European Go Congress from 1993 to 2010 except for 2003 (Russia because he - like many - had had bad experiences with border controls) and 2004 (second Tuchola because he disliked the repetition of venue).

and continues

At EGCs, Saijo would appear during the morning, briefly peeking into our playing rooms. Afterwards, except for meal breaks and excursion Wednesdays, he would be teaching or playing teaching games to typically 2am (if the venues would allow that). While some other teaching professionals would do the bare minimum they were scheduled to do, Saijo's teaching efforts were only interrupted by sleep late during the nights. He would prepare thoroughly before his lectures and he commented on everybody's games or played against everybody waiting long enough for his seat.

Saijo often participated in the French summer Go camp.

here pictured by domi see in context : http://domidesign.free.fr/revue.html

and there during the European Go Congress

Saijo Masataka was promoted 9-dan when he retired in 2004.

Nihon Ki-in profile: https://www.nihonkiin.or.jp/player/htm/ki000055.html

[1] When was this appointment?