Because of the popular comic Hikaru no Go the image of the game has changed quite a bit - for the better, I mean. But when I was in 9th grade and ready to enter the pro ranks, most of my friends and classmates did not know about go at all. I was too shy to talk about go. Now I sometimes feel I missed a lot by not attending high school. If I could do it again I would like to experience a normal school life and go to college.
Konishi (born in 1972) became a pro at the Kansai Ki-in in 1989. Her promotion was rapid. By 1995 she was 5-dan. She reached 7-dan in 2001, and her present grade of 8-dan in 2004. Pieter asked her why she chose the Kansai Ki-in.
The Kansai Ki-In started out as this thing with Hashimoto Utaro, you know, but I honestly think that today's pros do not think about that too much. Of course Hashimoto sensei is still very much alive at the Kansai Ki-in but there are at the same time plenty people here who do not see the need for two pro go
| Konishi's recent results include being runner-up in the 2005 Women's Saikyo and the TV Osaka Cup. She has won several prizes for popularising go, as well as for outstanding tournament results. |
Tournaments and games are all mixed now and pros from the Kansai and Nihon Ki-in play each other every week. We also have regular study groups together and in my eyes, we are one big happy family. Personally I'd like to see the two groups find a way to merge and become one again, as it was before the split off.
When looking at the current titleholders it is, however, not necessary to ask where the strongest pros in Japan are located. Anybody can see that the Nihon Ki-in pros are dominant. And yes, of course we are a bit envious of that. But, hey, there are a number of top flight pros here, too. It is not as if the Kansai Ki-in is completely without chance or has never shown the go world what it's made of.