Kido
Kido Magazine 1924-1999
Upon the founding of the Nihon Ki-in (Japanese Go Association) in 1924, Kido magazine was founded in October of that year as its flagstaff publication. It was written by and for professional and strong amateur go players, with the emphasis on complex analysis and innovative play. It continued in existence for 75 years, until the summer of 1999.
The quality of the articles in Kido was always outstanding. This is not surprising since one of its founders and guiding lights was the president of a newspaper. In addition, newspaper writers formed the core of the staff and contributions were received from the top literary figures of the day. One need only mention the Nobel Prize winner Kawabata Yasunari, whose roman-a-clef, “Meijin” (published in English as “The Master of Go”), chronicles the retirement game of the last master of the last remaining hereditary House of Go, the Honinbo. With such a foundation, the writing in Kido was always cultured, often a cut above standard newspaper fare. (Which says much for it, since the newspapers in Japan are written at a very high level to cater for a population in which 98% are literate.) There were always poetic and classical allusions in the articles of Kido, making them a source of fascination for the writing as well as the games.
All of the technical articles here have been translated from Kido, with the date of the issue identified. It is a shame if some of the proud history of the magazine fades away. Readers are encouraged to seek out whatever copies of the magazine may be found and savor them for themselves.
