Is January 5 really Go day in Japan?

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kvasir
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Is January 5 really Go day in Japan?

Post by kvasir »

I saw some celebrations posts online for "Go day" or rather "igo" day. Even some Japanese vendors of Go equipment have sales to celebrate. The idea seems to be that January 5 is written and spoken like the word igo, which is as far as I know false. But the number 1 is sometimes "i" and 5 is "go".

It is very suspicious :-| Wouldn't January 5 be ichi gatsu itsuka, i.e. 1月5日 (and according to the random website I pulled up just now) and even 1-5 would be ichi go, not i go. Is Go day on January 5 really a thing? :scratch:

In any event. Happy Go day!
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Re: Is January 5 really Go day in Japan?

Post by hanspi »

Actually it is the strawberry day ;) 1/5 is ichi go ... ichigo ... いちご ... strawberry.

Meat is often on sale on the 29th of each month (ni kyu ... niku ... 肉 ... meat), it is especially tasty on Nov 29, 1 1 2 9, ii niku, which is how you would pronounce "nice meat".

But I am quite happy with 1/5 being the igo day :clap:
kyulearner
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Re: Is January 5 really Go day in Japan?

Post by kyulearner »

Nov 15 is celebrated as 'ii igo' (good igo) day with i(pronounced a 'ee') symbolizing one and go symbolizying five. We can celebrate Jan 5, but if we do that, we will also have to celebrate every 15th day of every month, and we will be very busy.
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Re: Is January 5 really Go day in Japan?

Post by bogiesan02 »

Physics and math fans celebrate March 14 as Pi Day. Here's Kuroki's take on Go Day:
January 5th is designated as "Igo Day" because it can be read as "igo" in Japanese.
To commemorate this once-a-year Igo Day, we have prepared many Go sets ...Period: 12/27/2023 (Wed) - 1/15/2024 (Mon)
Please take a look !!!


Some cool stuff. The decorated nachi would look great with my putple shells. This link to Kuroki's 2024 Igo Day sale ight be time-specific: [url]https://kurokigoishiten.com/en/collections/1月5日-囲碁の日-記念sale[/url]
kvasir
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Re: Is January 5 really Go day in Japan?

Post by kvasir »

Having Go (or strawberry) day every 15th of the month wouldn't be a bad idea.

There is a 2π day maybe there could be a double Go day most months? That would be the 30th.
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Re: Is January 5 really Go day in Japan?

Post by pajaro »

As the OP said, "1" is ichi.

It's common in word plays to use only the first syllabe of the numbers. So ichi becomes "i", roku (6) becomes "ro"... So, yes, 1/5 becomes igo.

Besides, nov 15th is Shichigosan, another important festivity. In some way, that day is already taken.
kvasir
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Re: Is January 5 really Go day in Japan?

Post by kvasir »

Igo hour? 15:00?
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