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Two of the board’s side surfaces are decorated with a cherry blossom raden (mother-of-pearl inlay) design.
Please note that faint marks from masking tape used to protect the top surface during the raden work remain visible.
There are also some urushi (lacquer) stains on the top surface.
Please refer to the photos for details.

The base board is a tabletop Go board made from vertical-cut wood (tenchi-masa), meaning the straight grain runs continuously from the top to the bottom surface.
The top surface features fine, straight grain with a beautiful color tone—an elegant and refined board.

Urushi(lacquer) Artist "Mutsumi Oitate"
Born in Kyoto Prefecture in 1982,
Mutsumi Oitate discovered the profound depth, versatility, and allure of urushi (Japanese lacquer) during her time at an art high school, which inspired her to pursue a career as a lacquer artist.
She began her professional artistic career in 2010.
Her work includes creating vessels and accessories that combine traditional techniques such as maki-e (gold and silver lacquer decoration), raden (mother-of-pearl inlay), and urushi painting. She has exhibited in various traditional craft and sencha (Japanese tea ceremony) art exhibitions.
She also engages in outreach activities, such as holding “kintsugi” (golden joinery) workshops, to introduce people to the beauty of urushi.


It is often said that in urushi (lacquer) art, “the only things it cannot coat are water and air,” reflecting its incredible versatility. While the process is labor-intensive, it allows for an endless range of expression depending on the artisan’s vision.
She strives to create lacquerware that brings warmth to daily life—pieces that stir the heart and gently bring a smile to one’s face when held in the hands.

Profile of Urushi(lacquer) Artist Mutsumi Oitate
Born in 1982 in Kyoto Prefecture
2000 – Graduated from the Department of Urushi Art, Kyoto City Doda Senior High School of Arts and Crafts
2002 – Graduated from the Department of Industrial Design, Takaoka Junior College
2004 – Completed the Advanced Course in the same department
2009 – Completed the Kyoto City Traditional Industry Technician Training Program, Urushi Specialization Course

Awards and Exhibitions
2009 – Participated in group exhibition “Urushi Kabure-ten” at Gallery Kyo
2012 – Uruoi Urushi Exhibition, President’s Award from the Chamber of Commerce
2013 – Uruoi Urushi Exhibition, Encouragement Award
2014 – Uruoi Urushi Exhibition, Kyoto Urushi Association Award
2014 – Selected for Japan Sencha Craft Exhibition
2015 – Selected for Geibun Kyo Exhibition
2015 – Japan Sencha Craft Exhibition, All Japan Senchado Federation Award
2016 – Uruoi Urushi Exhibition, Kyoto Mayor’s Award
2016 – Japan Sencha Craft Exhibition, Liberal Democratic Party President’s Award
2017–Present – Regular exhibitor at Japan Sencha Craft Exhibition
2018 – Japan Sencha Craft Exhibition, Japan Sencha Craft Association Award
2019 – Uruoi Urushi Exhibition, Kyoto Mayor’s Award
2022 – Selected for Japan Traditional Urushi Art Exhibition
2023 – Selected for Japan Traditional Craft Kinki Exhibition
2023 – Participated in Four-Person Sencha Craft Exhibition at Asahido
2024 – Selected for Japan Traditional Craft Kinki Exhibition
2024 – Japan Sencha Craft Exhibition, Kyoto Governor’s Award
2024 – Participated in Five-Person Sencha Craft Exhibition at Asahido
2024 – Selected for Japan Traditional Urushi Art Exhibition
2025 – Selected for Japan Traditional Craft Kinki Exhibition

Yoshida Gobanten was established in 1916 and continuously made various Go and Shogi boards for more than 100years.
The owner takes over the name of 'Master Yoshida Torayoshi' for generations.
All the boards made by the 3rd and 4th generation of Yoshida Torayoshi, the present owner, have engraved words of Ichi-jo (一如) in Chinese character, as the evidence of his work.
The word 'Ichi-jo' is a part of famous four-character idiom 'Busshin Ichi-nyo (物心一如)', that literally means 'matter and mind are one/body and mind as one'.
This implies a strong will that when we make boards, our board and mind are as one.
The engraved words 'Ichi-jo (一如)' is the evidence of Go master, who made this board with his spirit and board as one.
We are happy to offer these special boards made by the Go board master Mr. YOSHIDA Torayoshi, for his devotion and his long years of experience and outstanding technique.

Kaya is regarded as one of the best materials to make Go and Shogi boards, because of its good sound and feel when placing the stones, moderate elasticity, beautiful grain, color, gloss and luster, and aroma.
There are three types of kaya trees: "Hyuga kaya" which is grown and harvested in a mountainous area in the southern part of Kyushu, Japan, "Japanese-grown honkaya" which is grown in other areas of Japan, and "China-grown honkaya" which is mainly grown in Yunnan Province, China. Generally, Japanese-grown honkaya is said to be better than Chinese honkaya in terms of quality.
Chinese kaya tends to be less valued than Japanese kaya due to its reddish wood color, wood quality, and rarity, but this material is often sold at a relatively affordable price for a high-quality board.

*Go board materials are explained detail in "How to choose a board".
Please take a look.
Go to "How to choose a board".

"Tenchi-masa" literally means the grain runs from the top to the bottom or from the sky (ten) to the earth (chi).
As there is no visible itame (flat grain), you can see the beautiful masame (straight grain) from the top to the bottom of the board.
When the top and bottom surfaces have masame (straight grain) but the side has itame (flat grain), the board is classified as tenchi-masa.
Just like the shihou-masa board, the tenchi-masa board is made from a large-diameter, well-aged tree.
The kaya (Japanese Torreya) tenchi-masa board is synonymous with the finest Go boards made of valuable wood.
Also, most of the boards called tsugi-ban or hagi-ban (composition boards made from several pieces of wood joined together) have tenchi-masa or masame (straight grain).

*Go board cutting styles are explained detail in "How to choose a board".
Please take a look.
Go to "How to choose a board".

• Table Go Board with “Cherry Blossom Design and Raden (Mother-of-Pearl) Inlay” by Urushi Artist Mutsumi Oitate
  Go Board：Board craftsman Mr.Torayoshi Yoshida made China grown Kaya Tenchi-masa 2.3-Sun (71 mm thick) 1-piece table Go board
  Product No.: No.77006
  Size：460 mm × 430 mm × 71 mm
  Weight：about 8.2 kg
  Including a certification


• 1,000 JPY flat rate shipping within Japan, free shipping for purchases totaling 20,000 JPY or more.
  Please bear the actual cost for shipping charges outside Japan.

You may find small knots, burrs, rolled-in bark as all these products are made of natural trees.
There may be some small flaw or scratch, dent, chipping.