First 9-dans

Fujisawa Kuransouke became the first 9-dan (as opposed to the historical title of Meijin) in 1949, by winning games in the Oteai. Go Seigen was at the time excluded from this route but was granted 9-dan in 1950. The first 9-dan at the Kansai Ki-in was Hashimoto Utaro in 1954. China made Nie Weiping and Chen Zude 9-dan at once in 1982 when they instituted their professional system. In Korea, Cho Hun-hyeon was the first 9-dan in 1982. Cho Nam-ch'eol reached that grade only in 1983, having set the toughest criteria anywhere. The first 9-dan in Taiwan was Zhou Junxun in 1998 (though other Taiwanese players had already reached 9-dan in Japan). The first 9-dan from Okinawa was Aragaki Takeshi in 1994. Michael Redmond became the first non-Oriental 9-dan in 2000 (from 1-dan in 1981).

The world's first female 9-dan was Rui Naiwei, in 1988, and so far only China has produced women that strong.

The first game in official play between a 1-dan and a 9-dan was Shinkai Hiroko 1-dan (White) versus Sugiuchi Masao 9-dan in the 2nd Preliminary of the Meijin in April 1979, in Japan. Shinkai lost without counting. The second was in September 1980 when Yoda Norimoto 1-dan took on Kobayashi Koichi in the 2nd Preliminary of the Tengen. Yoda was thus the first male 1-dan to play a 9-dan. He was White and lost by 11.5. Third time lucky, in October 1983, in the Judan, Ninomiya Hideko 1-dan (now Komatsu Hideko) faced Chino Tadahiko 9-dan and forced his resignation with White (GoGoD game 1983-10-27d). This victory earned her a Special Woman's Award in the Kido prizes selected by sponsors' newspaper and tv reporters. It was well featured on TV and in the weekly magazines.

The first male 1-dan (and third 1-dan) to beat a 9-dan in an even game was Kurotaki Masanori against Kano Yoshinori, on 19 April 1990.

The first 1-dan versus 9-dan title match was in Korea when Kim Tong-heui played Pak Yeong-hun 9-dan in the 15th BC Card Cup in 2005. By then 9-dans were being awarded on the strength of quick success in international events rather than just the slow grind of promotion tournaments.

The first 7-dan of the modern era (i.e. earned in an Oteai-type event rather than granted) was Kato Shin in February 1932. He was also first 8-dan, either 1939 or in 1942 - thereby hangs a tale. See the GoGoD history of the Oteai. The first teenage 6-dan was Rin Kaiho in 1960.

The first amateur to beat a 9-dan was Chen Zude, who defeated Sugiuchi Masao in game 1962-09-27, taking first-move handicap, during a Japan-China Goodwill exchange.

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