Outline of Japan Go Society for the Visually Impaired

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Name Japan Go Society for the Visually Impaired
Address 〒565-0853 Kasuga 4-11-4-205, Suita-city Osaka-fu Japan
Representative Mitsuhisa Yukawa
Contact Tel 06-6313-6278 Fax 06-6338-6715
Liaison Office Fumio Miyano
Office Address 〒565-0853 Kasuga 4-11-4-205, Suita-city Osaka-fu Japan
Contact Tel 06-6313-6278 Fax 06-6338-6715 
E-mail: fmiyano@skyblue.ocn.ne.jp
Number of members 200 (150 members, 50 instructors,board members, clerks) and 300 (go-experienced school graduates)
Activities Development and free-of-charge offering of special go sets consisting of marked stones and a fitting board, speaking go software and textbooks in braille to visual impaired people.
Support for activities to assist go players of visual impairment, such as holding go game contests and introducing spreading movement.
Instruction of playing go game to visually impaired people.
Recommending Organization Osaka Volunteers' Information Center

This table is based on the information on volunteers' groups by Osaka Volunteers' Information Network, http://www.ovn.gr.jp/.


Origin of the Society
Playing go by visually impaired people was considered extremely difficult. The go spreading movement started in October 1993 with the belief that go could be played by them, employing a 9x9 board of stone fitting type with marked stones. At present, go games with the special 9x9 board are being played in 9 schools for the blind and 14 welfare centers, and are being newly adopted in other centers.


Go game on the 9x9 board

九路盤による対局の様子 The player orally indicates the stone position, counting vertical and horizontal lines from the left and upper corner of the board from the black stone player. The photo shows the white stone player is confirming the white stone on 6 x 3.

Main Activities