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takodori
Joined: 09 Jan 2008
Posts: 76
Location: Japan
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 Posted: Sun May 10, 2009 4:49 am Post subject: Article in Asahi.com |
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asahi.com：With samurai spirit, 'shogi' bound for Big Apple - English
http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200905090057.html
| Quote: | TENDO, Yamagata Prefecture--They fought their last battle centuries ago, but samurai warriors could soon be called into action once again, if Shigetaka Ogihara has his way--in central Manhattan.
Ogihara, from a New York-based club of shogi (Japanese chess) enthusiasts, is hoping to recreate a shogi match with a set of human "pieces" dressed in samurai-style armor on a giant playing board in the heart of New York. The match would be modeled on the famed annual event that draws vast crowds to this city.
The 55-year-old vice branch head of the New York Shogi Club believes the spectacle between professional shogi masters would bolster the game's profile and popularity among Americans.
Ogihara recently made a visit to Tendo, known as the "home of shogi" because of the large concentration of businesses that make pieces for the traditional Japanese board game.
On April 19, he was able to observe the original human shogi match event held atop Mount Maizuruyama in the city. He also met with local shogi association officials to discuss his idea and seek their cooperation.
After watching the spectacle at Tendo, Ogihara said he was impressed by the "superb arrangement of the event," but noted "so much work is needed to prepare for it."
Ogihara has helped organize the Shogi World Championship Tournament, an international event that brought together shogi players from all over the world to compete in New York for the first time in 2000. He hit upon the idea for the New York-based human shogi match while preparing for the third tournament, to be held in the Big Apple in November this year.
To get a sense of the scale of the event, he visited Mount Maizuruyama for the first time last November.
He said he hoped to recreate the event as early as next summer in an equally impressive location such as the Rockefeller Center or Central Park. The game could "create an awesome spectacle" for Americans, he said, "as if one were looking at a spectacular scroll depicting a historic event before their eyes."
Ogihara hopes to invite Japanese professionals to play and plans to recruit New Yorkers to act in the role of the pieces. He said he also hopes to find an English speaker with knowledge of shogi to provide commentary and explain the moves to American spectators.
But funding is expected to be a problem. The rental costs for the helmets and armor to be worn by each of the 40 human game pieces alone are estimated at several million yen.
While the New York event would seem like an ideal opportunity to promote Tendo to the world, several people have expressed skepticism about the supposed benefits.
"Through the eyes of an American, the event might seem dull because there's very little motion. I wonder how effective an advertisement it would be for the city," said Masanori Yamaguchi, 60, the president of the Yamagata Prefecture branch of the Japan Shogi Association.
Nevertheless, Ogihara drew some promising responses from Tendo officials during his visit.
"Many people in the United States play chess, so I'm sure people in New York can enjoy watching a shogi match," said Keita Inoue, 45, a professional shogi player who ranks in the eighth dan, one below the top category of elite player. "I'd be glad to help."
Kunio Yonenaga, president of the Japan Shogi Association, said he believed the opportunity to introduce shogi to New York should not be allowed to pass.
"I think the human shogi match of Tendo is something that could leave a lasting impression on people, just like Kabuki and Noh," said Yonenaga, who added that the association hopes to publicize the event around the world through the Internet.(IHT/Asahi: May 9,2009) |
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