Konishi Taizo

[John Fairbairn]

This may appeal mainly fto the Japanese speakers among you, but also it's nice to see a haiku done properly on L19 once in a while

Konishi Taizo 8-dan died last month (February 2011). He will be barely known in the west, but he was a well-known go writer in his own right, and was also an amanuensis for Fujisawa Hideyuki (one of those often disparagingly referred to as "ghost writers" by knowing ones not quite in the know). He was also associated with Fujisawa in his real estate business, and so deserves a medal of sorts. He did once promise to write a book about the "Fujisawa only I know". He didn't, but most of the details have become known anyway, in Japan at least.

His literary output included this poignant haiku, selected (wisely, I think) by Akiyama Kenji.

朝寒や富士白きまで傷痛む

(Cold morning! The pain will be felt as long as Mount Fuji remains white.) Actually, the season word asasamu is not one that finds favour nowadays, according to Akiyama, so saying this is a properly done haiku might cause pain to nitpickers, but personally I think the old-fashioned choice adds poignancy. The pain he refers to is unknown, but of course that adds to a haiku.

The generation gap implied here is faintly echoed in the fact that Konishi was left-handed. That's nothing special today, as Iyama Yuta shows, but in Konishi's day he was bellowed at by his insei teacher: "Idiot! Go is played with the right hand!" Rather than be humiliated, he left the insei school and went to study French at Waseda University (because he liked French films). But he did become pro eventually, at age 28, reaching a very respectable 7-dan (his 8-dan was the usual retirement "gold watch").

One of go's characters sadly passed, but you have possibly unknowingly read many of his words...

[Tsuyoku]

I played with a left-handed Japanese grandfather, once. It was the only southpaw from that country I'd ever noticed.

Being a European ambidextrous player, I just swapped my bowl to the other side. I wonder what impression that must have left, given the apparently fierce prejudice there once was against it.

[TMark]

I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous!

Best wishes.

[gowan]

This may appeal mainly fto the Japanese speakers among you, but also it's nice to see a haiku done properly on L19 once in a while

Konishi Taizo 8-dan died last month (February 2011). He will be barely known in the west, but he was a well-known go writer in his own right, and was also an amanuensis for Fujisawa Hideyuki (one of those often disparagingly referred to as "ghost writers" by knowing ones not quite in the know). He was also associated with Fujisawa in his real estate business, and so deserves a medal of sorts. He did once promise to write a book about the "Fujisawa only I know". He didn't, but most of the details have become known anyway, in Japan at least.

His literary output included this poignant haiku, selected (wisely, I think) by Akiyama Kenji.

朝寒や富士白きまで傷痛む

(Cold morning! The pain will be felt as long as Mount Fuji remains white.) Actually, the season word asasamu is not one that finds favour nowadays, according to Akiyama, so saying this is a properly done haiku might cause pain to nitpickers, but personally I think the old-fashioned choice adds poignancy. The pain he refers to is unknown, but of course that adds to a haiku.

The generation gap implied here is faintly echoed in the fact that Konishi was left-handed. That's nothing special today, as Iyama Yuta shows, but in Konishi's day he was bellowed at by his insei teacher: "Idiot! Go is played with the right hand!" Rather than be humiliated, he left the insei school and went to study French at Waseda University (because he liked French films). But he did become pro eventually, at age 28, reaching a very respectable 7-dan (his 8-dan was the usual retirement "gold watch").

One of go's characters sadly passed, but you have probably unknowingly read many of his words...

I didn't know about Konishi's association with Fujisawa. I had heard that Fujisawa produced a lot of potboilers edited by amateurs and consequently having more than a few errors. If Konishi edited Fujisawa's books that would be an indicator of quality. I have a few of Fujisawa's books in Japanese but none seems to have been edited by Konishi. Did he use a pen name for that work?

[John Fairbairn]

Did he use a pen name for that work?

I'm fairly sure he did, for his reports on the Judan at least, but that may post-date his work with FH. Also, I don't know how extensive his work with FH was, or precisely when, although the real estate shenanigans were in the 1960s. As Konishi didn't become 1-dan till 1967, I presume that was a time when he would have most appreciated piece work.

[topazg]

Did he use a pen name for that work?

I'm fairly sure he did, for his reports on the Judan at least, but that may post-date his work with FH. Also, I don't know how extensive his work with FH was, or precisely when, although the real estate shenanigans were in the 1960s. As Konishi didn't become 1-dan till 1967, I presume that was a time when he would have most appreciated piece work.

Your knowledge is a delight to read John