Honinbo - Honinbo

The name was coined by the Go master Sansha (1558-1623), and is now one of the titles given under the championship system. It is also commonly used as an alias for strong Go players.

In the 16th century, Nichikai Shonin, the head priest of the Honinbo subtemple of Jakkoji Temple in Kyoto, was known as a master of Go, and was first seen by Oda Nobunaga, and later served Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu. Nobunaga praised Nichikai's skills as a master, and Hideyoshi held a Go meeting and bestowed upon Nichikai, who performed exceptionally well, the official rank of Gosho, with a stipend of 20 koku and 10 people. After Hideyoshi's death, Ieyasu invited Nichikai to Edo, where he appointed him as a master Gosho and awarded him a stipend of 50 koku and 5 people. Nichikai adopted the pen name Honinbo and changed his name to Sansha. This was the beginning of the name Honinbo. From then on, the title was passed down hereditarily, and such masters as the 4th Honinbo Dosaku (1645-1702), the 5th Dochi (1690-1727), the 9th Satsugen (1733-1788), the 12th Jowa (1787-1847), and the 19th Shuei (1852-1907) were among the Honinbo. Upon retirement, the 21st Honinbo Shusai (1874-1940) transferred his name to the Mainichi Newspaper Company, which donated the Honinbo name to the Nihon Ki-in on the condition that they would have exclusive coverage of the new Honinbo tournament. Thus, in 1939 (Showa 14), the Honinbo title was changed to a championship system, and became one of the titles in the Go Championship.

[Naotatsu Kono May 19, 2020]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

算砂(さんさ)（1558―1623）を初代とする囲碁の家元で、現在は選手権制によるタイトルの一つ。一般に碁の強い人の別称としても使われる。

　16世紀に、京都・寂光寺の本因坊という塔頭(たっちゅう)の住職日海上人(しょうにん)は碁の名手として知られ、初め織田信長に引見され、のち豊臣(とよとみ)秀吉、徳川家康に仕えた。信長は日海の技量を名人とたたえ、秀吉は碁会を催し、成績抜群の日海に20石十人扶持(ぶち)の官賜「碁所(ごどころ)」の位を贈った。秀吉の没後、家康は日海を江戸へ招いて、名人碁所に任じ、50石五人扶持を与えた。日海は本因坊を号とし、算砂と改名した。これが本因坊の名跡(みょうせき)の始まりである。以後、世襲制がとられ、本因坊としては、4世道策(どうさく)（1645―1702）、5世道知(どうち)（1690―1727）、9世察元(さつげん)（1733―1788）、12世丈和(じょうわ)（1787―1847）、19世秀栄(しゅうえい)（1852―1907）らの名人が輩出。21世本因坊秀哉(しゅうさい)（1874―1940）が引退を期に名跡を毎日新聞社に譲渡、毎日新聞社は新しい棋戦としての本因坊戦の独占掲載を条件に本因坊名跡を日本棋院に寄贈した。こうして、本因坊は1939年（昭和14）から選手権制に改められ、囲碁選手権戦のタイトルの一つとなった。

［河野直達　2020年5月19日］

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