Meijin

The Meijin title is one of the most prestigious honors in Japanese Go. During Japan’s Edo period, the Meijin title was the highest rank a Go player could achieve. Unlike today, there was only one Meijin at a time, and the title was only awarded when a consensus formed around an individual’s unmatched strength. If no player demonstrated clear superiority, the position remained vacant.

The first Meijin was Honinbo Sansa in 1612. The last Meijin of the classical era was Honinbo Shusai, who held the title until 1940. The title was closely linked to the Meijin Godokoro, a prestigious government-appointed role responsible for overseeing the Go world and instructing the ruling Tokugawa shogunate. The Meijin Godokoro had immense power, controlling promotions, scheduling major games, and determining the development of professional Go. The position was abolished in 1868 with the Meiji Restoration.

Notable Historic Meijin Holders:

• Honinbo Dosaku (1677-1702) – Considered one of the strongest players in history.
• Honinbo Jowa (1831-1839) – Known for his political maneuvering to secure the title and his aggressive, power Go playing style.
• Honinbo Shuei (1906-1907) – Famous for his deep reading ability and positional judgment.

Modern Meijin Tournament

In 1962, the Meijin title was revived as a professional tournament, replacing the previous Saikyo title. The tournament was initially sponsored by the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper but was later taken over by Asahi Shimbun in 1976. Due to this change, the numbering of Meijin titles restarted, with the tournaments prior to 1976 now referred to as the Old Meijin series.

The Meijin is one of the “big three” Go titles in Japan, alongside the Kisei and Honinbo titles. Winning the Meijin title comes with significant prestige and financial reward, with the winner’s prize currently set at ¥33,000,000 (~$212,000 USD).

Winning the Meijin title five times consecutively grants the honorary title “Lifetime Meijin” (Eisei Meijin). Holders of this title include:

• Cho Chikun
• Kobayashi Koichi

Meijin in Literature

The title Meijin gained additional recognition through literature. Yasunari Kawabata, Japan’s first Nobel Prize-winning author, wrote the novel The Master of Go, which dramatizes Honinbo Shusai’s final game before retiring the historic Meijin title. This game symbolized the shift from traditional to modern competitive Go.

Notable Meijin Tournament Winners

Old Series (1962–1975, Yomiuri Sponsorship)

• Rin Kaiho – Dominated the Meijin title during the 1960s and early 1970s.
• Sakata Eio – One of the strongest players of his time.

New Series (1976–present, Asahi Sponsorship)

• Cho Chikun – Won the title 9 times.
• Kobayashi Koichi – Held the title for multiple consecutive years.
• Iyama Yuta – Dominated modern Go, securing multiple Meijin titles.
• Shibano Toramaru – One of the youngest players to win the title.

If you want to know more about Japan’s Go titles, read our article: Japan’s Most Prestigious Go Titles.