Outline of Japan Go Society for the Visually Impaired
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
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