I-tsu-tsu Co. Ltd.

Business 12 October 2016

Our Shogi Equipment for the Meijin Title Match

Akiko Nakakura

I-tsu-tsu Co.Ltd. purchased Japan Shogi Association Shogi board and pieces to be used for Shogi Meijin Title Match.

We work under our vision; “Surprise of real Japanese Traditional Culture for your child”.

When I, dressed in Kimono, sit down on Tatami mats and start laying Shogi pieces, all the children around me silently and earnestly stares at my moves. They sat down in the Seiza style, a traditional and formal way of sitting in Japan, even though nobody told them to sit down in the style.

It is neither visible nor describable by words.
Is it atmosphere that makes children behave that way?

What is delivered to them is “atmosphere”.

Children can surely sense the “atmosphere”.
I am always touched and moved by their sensibility.
I love children’s shining eyes.

What can we do for children?
What can we do?

We think and think with trial and error.
We keep working for them.

I deliver “atmosphere” to children.
But with the authentic Shogi board and pieces, more and more “something” should be delivered to them.

Craftsmen sincerely make Shogi board with every effort.
Shogi pieces, the Shogi piece box, Shogi piece stand.
Only their prominent skills can create those.
The material trees need a long time to grow.
For the Shogi pieces, boxwood trees of Mikurajima Island are used.
For the Shogi board, Japanese torreya trees are used.
The material trees are grown in Japan

Meijin Yoshiharu Habu and Amahiko Sato, 8 Dan, play for the Meijin tournament, the highest peak of Shogi world.

These two players use the Shogi board and pieces.
Craftsmen’s passion and the players’ obsession towards a victory are embedded in the two-day Meijin tournament match.

I want children to feel authenticity in the Shogi board and pieces.
We will continue to use the Shogi board and pieces with full of passion for children.

This may not be intention of the craftsmen, but we want children to feel the precious Shogi board and pieces which may be used only for the title match.
For example, a child dreaming to be a professional Shogi player may feel that he/she is a real pro by using the board and pieces.
A child may feel Japanese craftsmanship by touching the Japanese torreya tree board and boxwood pieces.
Some children may feel the warmth of the trees much older than themselves.

Then, this experience may trigger children to start Shogi.
They may become the future Meijin.

This experience may trigger children to be a craftsman.
In the future, he/she may create the Shogi board and pieces to for the title match.

I want children experience the Shogi story and traditional Japanese culture by touching the wonderful Shogi board and pieces.

There are various stories hidden behind the match.
There is no better Shogi board and pieces than those for children to feel the stories in Shogi.

We are more than happy if children make good use of this experience of touching authentic traditional Japanese culture.

We plan to use the Shogi board and pieces for children in the following events.

“Surprise of real Japanese Traditional Culture for your child”

We keep working under this vision.

You can use the Shogi board and pieces at our events even after the above events.

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この記事の執筆者Akiko Nakakura

I-tsu-tsu Co. Ltd. President, lady's professional shogi player. After winning successive victories in the female amateur master’s tournament in 1991 and 1992, she made her debut as a professional shogi player in her third (last) year in high school. She retired from professional shogi play after a 21-year career in March 2015, and currently involved in activities to spread the game of shogi among children.

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