I've been a lurker here for a while and I think I have learnt a lot of useful information about Go from you. Reading (almost) all the archives was quite a trip. Now let me show you my Go set:

- Slate&Shell stones, size 28, moon grade
- Kusu (camphor) bowls, extra-large
- Katsura folding board, size 7 (1.9 cm)

All items were bought from Aoyama Gobanten, Tokyo, Mr. Y. Aoyama was very helpful, the communication was fast, also the shipments (bought the board last year, the stones and bowls this year).

Nice set! Some people would probably say that such nice bowls and stones demand a more exclusive board, but I understand that probably storing space and utility was of importance I just finished my order from the same store. The owner was very kind and helpful, he even bought a book from another japanese store for me, and added it to my order.

I was torn between ordering a Katsura or Hiba board, but finally decided on the Hiba. The main "advantage" of Katsura was that it is more traditional material than Hiba, growing in Japan / China, while Hiba grows in Alaska I never saw Hiba board in real life, so we will see if I made the right choice...

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Formerly Gorim

Thanks! I already have a 5cm Shin Kaya Go board in storage, at home, but I don't really like it, it's varnished, its lines are flat and on the other side has a 13x13 grid so it's far from being an exclusive one. It was my first wooden board and it dents just by looking at it. I also have a set of Linden Go bowls (flat model) and a set of Korean glass go stones (Jang Stone II, size 30, 8mm).

I have eyed for some time the Kaya boards from KGT but decided, money and storage wise, to go this time with a folding board, made from a traditional Japanese wood; the Katsura board from Aoyama Gobanten was exactly what I was looking for. Its lines are also slightly raised, which is nice; probably your Hiba board will also have this kind of lines.

For the new bowls, I couldn't decide between Keyaki, Kusu and Sakura, and then Mr. Y. Aoyama told me his craftsman let him know he is manufacturing a new set of Kusu bowls with an interesting moku so I waited a bit more and ended up buying this set.

Nice set, congrats!

And I just HAD to google for that store … http://www5b.biglobe.ne.jp/~goban/english@go@version.html

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“The only difference between me and a madman is that I’m not mad.” — Salvador Dali ★ Play a slooooow correspondence game with me on OGS?

Congrats! I love the bowls and pieces - very beautiful!

Nice set. Those bowls are especially beautiful!

@Gorim, I have a Hiba table board I bought over 25 years ago and it is still one of my favorites.