Kisei
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The Kisei title signifies the highest level of mastery in Japanese Go. Historically, the term was bestowed upon legendary figures in recognition of their extraordinary skill. Today, it is awarded through the annual Kisei Tournament, organized by the Nihon Ki-in and sponsored by the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper.
The Kisei title is considered part of Japan’s “Big Three” Go titles, alongside Meijin and Honinbo. Due to its prestige, special promotion rules exist for those excelling in the tournament. Players who qualify for the Kisei league are promoted to 7-dan, challenging for the title grants an 8-dan rank, and winning the title itself results in an automatic promotion to 9-dan.
Kisei Tournament Format
The Kisei Tournament follows a multi-stage format:
- Players compete in preliminary rounds to qualify for the main league.
- The Kisei League determines a challenger for the reigning titleholder.
- The final stage is a best-of-seven match, where each player has eight hours of thinking time spread over two days per game.
Since 2016, the tournament structure has included multiple league tiers (S, A, B, and C leagues), adding depth to the competition.
Players who win the Kisei title five years in a row or ten times in total are granted the honorary title Honorary Kisei, which they may use upon retirement or after turning 60. To date, only Fujisawa Hideyuki, Kobayashi Koichi, and Iyama Yuta have achieved this distinction.
The Kisei tournament has played a significant role in promoting Go worldwide. Between 1985 and 2014, the first game of the title match was often held in international locations, including Seoul, New York, Amsterdam, and Shanghai, among others.