Vintage Japanese Goban 4" (10cm) Thick Go Game Board Floor Board Award Presentation 1967 Katsura Wood G7

Vintage 1967 Japanese Floor Go Board – Award Presentation Goban (Showa 42), Katsura Wood, Hand-Carved Legs

This is an authentic vintage Japanese floor goban dating to February 1967 (Showa 42), originally presented as an award to a Go team or school club. The underside bears a hand-brushed dedication reading “Presented,” followed by the names of team members or contributors, and the exact date. Boards of this type were commonly commissioned during the postwar decades as commemorative gifts for school tournaments and club achievements, and surviving examples in functional condition are increasingly uncommon.

The board is made of katsura, a traditional Japanese hardwood valued for its durability and warm brown tone. The legs are hand-carved in the multi-faceted style typical of pre-1970s workshop production, and the board is constructed in the classic Japanese floor-board format with a thick block and raised feet. The grain shows the irregular itame pattern typical of katsura boards from this era.

This goban shows visible wear from decades of use, including scratches, darkened areas, patina, and marks around the edges, but remains structurally solid with no major cracks. The inscribed underside is well preserved and adds historical significance and uniqueness to the piece.

A wonderful example of a Showa-era presentation goban—ideal for collectors of traditional Japanese Go equipment, historians, or players who appreciate vintage boards with provenance.

Measurements:
• Width: 41.5 cm
• Depth: 45 cm
• Block Thickness: 10 cm (approx. 3.3-sun class)
• Total Height: 22 cm

Wood: Katsura
Grain: Itame
Date: February 1967 (Showa 42)
Origin: Japan
Type: Floor Go Board (Award / Presentation Goban)

Playing Go on a real Japanese floor board is a different experience from using a thin tabletop board. The thick wooden block produces a deeper, clearer click when stones are placed, a sound that the Nihon Ki-in has long described as part of the “proper atmosphere” of serious play. This resonance comes from both the thickness of the block and the type of wood used. Traditional makers favor kaya, a smooth, golden wood whose density and aging characteristics create a uniquely satisfying tone, but players also commonly encounter katsura, which is heavier and darker, and shin-kaya, a lighter spruce used in modern, affordable boards.

What sets Japanese floor boards apart is the way they’re built. The block rests on four legs, raising the board so that the wood can vibrate freely, and the underside is shaped so the sound of each stone remains consistent. The grain of the wood is chosen so the surface stays stable over time and retains its natural beauty. Even a mid-range Japanese board feels solid, balanced, and responsive under the hand. For players who haven’t used one before, the difference is immediate: the board feels alive, the stones settle cleanly, and the game gains a sense of weight and presence that’s hard to forget.

W 41 × D 45 × T 9 × H 20 cm