Floor Boards
Kaya is the undisputed kind of Go boards. Its close grain and soft color appeals to the eye and the soft click of stones gently rolls over the ears. Newer Kaya boards emanate a soft, sweet smell that make playing on this wood a true experiance in aesthetics. Old growth Kaya is no longer harvestable in either Japan or China; with these ancient trees now protected by law new material for Kaya boards is becoming ever more scarce.
Because of the relative rarity of large Kaya trees and the expense involved in harvesting them, Katsura is a fine substitute wood that commonly grows in the northern Tohoku and Hokkaido regions of Japan. I'd rank it second in quality to Kaya. While it lacks Kaya's fine smell and elegant grain it makes up for these shortcomings in durability and longevity.
1. Kaya Floor/Table Board - Kiomote Cut
2.5 Sun (6.2 Sun with legs)
$140
SOLDThis beautiful piece would play well as a floor or table board. To convert from floor to table, just remove the legs. The board has some damage and was unprofessionally repaired at sometime in its past. There's a scrape along the bottom and one of the corners has had some wood filler poorly applied (also on a small crack in the side). Much of the cinnamon smell remains in the wood, but most has dissipated over the years. There are some minor cracks on surface of the board (barely noticeable) and it remains free of warping.
2. Showa Era Kaya - Kiomote Cut
4.0 Sun (7.1 Sun with legs)
$200
This beautiful board is several decades old, dating from Showa era Japan. This piece has been covered in a varnish for protection, something not generally recommended for Go board, but remains gorgeous. There are a few cracks in the sides, please see the pictures. The surface remains warp free and in great playing condition. A large crack on the bottom makes it difficult to keep one of the legs in. Someone in the past has glued the leg, but to no effect. Please see the picture. The cinnamon smell remains strong in the wood if you remove the legs, but the surface smell has dissipated much over the years.
3. Katsura - Kiura Cut
4.9 Sun (8.8 Sun with legs)
$175
SOLDThis beautiful Katsura board with a very fine surface. This board is used and there is a small indentation in the top and one corner is dented. Aside form the indentation, the top is in new shape. There are some minor cracks in the sides and spotting on the sides and bottom.
4. Floor Board - Kiomote Cut
3.6 Sun (8.7 Sun with legs)
$100
I came across this unusual board and thought I'd offer it. It's an amateur crafted Go board. The material is unknown, possibly pine. There's a slight top warp but this will not affect gameplay. There’s a noticeable warp on the bottom. Some side cracks and large bottom cracks that have been covered by a grayish paint. The grid appears to have been drawn on using a quality marker rather than the usual ink. Please study the pictures before bidding. This would be an excellent starters board, but not recommended for a collection. The board includes a gray painted wooden cover.
5. Antique Kaya - Kiomote Cut
4.0 Sun (7.9 Sun with legs)
$120
SOLDThis is a rather old board, dating from mid-Showa era Japan. This piece has been covered some kind of a yellowish paint-like substance, something not generally recommended for Go boards. There are a few small cracks in the sides, please see the pictures. There's a tiny, almost unnoticeable warp on the top that will not affect game play. The cinnamon smell remains strong in the wood if you remove the legs, but the surface smell has dissipated over the years.
6. Katsura - Kiomote Cut
4.6 Sun (8.3 Sun with legs)
$100
This piece has been covered some kind of a yellowish paint-like substance, something not generally recommended for Go boards. There are a few small cracks in the sides, please see the pictures. It looks like someone tried to shave the yellowing off on the bottom and the legs, but to no effect. There has been some repair work on the side. The board has a lot of discoloration and some denting. The're some cracks on the side extending a little to the top. This would make a great starter board, but not recommended for a collection.
7. Showa Era Kaya - Kiomote Cut
3.7 Sun (78 Sun with legs)
$200
SOLDThis beautiful board is several decades old, dating from Showa era Japan. There are a few cracks in the sides, please see the pictures. The surface warps a little in the corners, but will not affect stone placement. There's a noticeable warp on the bottom. There has been some professional repair work on the sides and bottom. There is a little crack in the middle of the board. Some of the sweet cinnamon scent remains on the surface and is strong in the wood if you remove the legs.
8. Katsura - Kiomote Cut
4.6 Sun (8.7 Sun with legs)
$100
This Katsura board has been well used. The piece has been covered some kind of a yellowish paint-like substance, something not generally recommended for Go boards. There are numerous dents, discolorations and some small cracks, please see the pictures. This would make a great starter board, but not recommended for a collection.