The magic of Go: a tale of stones and connection

Yesterday, I was walking around a quiet countryside neighborhood when I saw a sign for a “Go Club.” For those who don’t know, Go is a strategic board game also called Baduk in Korean and Weiqi in Chinese.

I have always been fascinated by Go because of its elegant mechanics and philosophy. Excited, I immediately went inside to say hello.

Inside, four people were playing—two middle school students and two elderly men, both over 70. One of the elders, Naoki-san, who turned out to be the owner, left his game unfinished to greet me.

We introduced ourselves and had a brief chat. Naoki-san then invited me to play a round. Go has a handicap system where weaker players start with more stones to balance the game. Since his level is 8-dan—extremely advanced—I started with 9 stones. For reference, my level is around 9-kyu, which is quite amateur! It was clear I was going to lose, but the game became a way for us to get to know each other through our styles of play.

Our energy felt perfectly aligned, and it was such a fun experience. He also was looking really happy to have a foreigner-newcomer and I felt his happy energy and kindness all the time. Unfortunately, I had to leave the game unfinished to catch a train. Before I left, Naoki-san gifted me a beautiful Go set. I was shocked and overjoyed, especially since I had been looking for one recently.

His kindness left a deep impression on me. He even walked me all the way to the door with a big, cheerful smile saying that he will wait for me next week. His energy truly made my day.

Now, I know where I’ll be spending my weekends. This experience reminded me of the beauty of connecting through shared interests and kindness. I plan to visit the club regularly and hope to reach 1-dan within a year as I continue playing Go.