Vintage Japanese Katsura Go Board Floor Goban with Carved Tulip Legs 9cm Thick B2

Vintage Japanese Katsura Go Board Floor Goban with Carved Tulip Legs 9T 45D

A vintage Japanese floor-style goban crafted from Katsura wood with traditional hand-carved tulip-form legs. Mid-20th century production with a warm natural patina from decades of play. The board surface retains strong grid visibility, and the solid-block Katsura body produces a soft, resonant placement sound. Natural age lines and shrinkage cracks are visible along the sides, typical of older solid wood goban. The board thickness is 9 cm, giving excellent stability and visual presence for gameplay or display.

Dimensions: 42W × 45D × 9T × 21H cm
Weight approx: 25 lbs

• Period: Mid-20th century (c. 1950–1970)
• Material: Katsura (Cercidiphyllum japonicum)
• Construction: Single-block body with carved tulip legs
• Origin: Japan
• Condition: Wear, patina and natural cracks from age; sits level and structurally sound
• Includes: Board only (stones and bowls not included)

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 42 × D 45 × T 9 × H 21