SHOGI - KUWABARA, Kuchu & Ohashi Sokei.

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Shogi gokumyo ("The Charms of Japanese Chess"). Meiji editions of two classic primers for the game of Shogi, or Japanese Chess. These works were part of Bungyokuho's Shogi series, which he described as containing "the necessary-reads for those who enjoy playing [the game]" (Yoshikawa, 35r).Shogi Gokumyo was originally released in 1849 by Kuwabara Kuchu, student of the 8th Shogi Master, Oshashi Sokei the 9th. He only reached the 4th-dan (level) himself, instead making his name through publishing two chess books: Shogi Gyokuzu (1836) and the present volume. Each contains 100 chess puzzles, which makes Kuwabara only the second person in Japanese Chess history to produce that many. Of the 100 that feature in Shogi Gokumyo, 50 are normal games while the other 50 are kyokuzume puzzles, where the starting or ending positions of the pieces form a shape with a specific meaning. These puzzles are notably harder to devise, again showing Kuwabara's skill. The famous author Koda Rohan wrote of this book: "people were astonished, and admired how he had deceived even the gods of intellect" (Koda, p. 112). The first volume shows the puzzles, the second shows the solutions.Shogi hitori geiko was originally released in 1833 by Fukushima Junki as the sequel to his 1804 chess book Shogi Kinuburui. In the introduction, Hokurindo (the original publisher) writes "this book was produced so that beginner learners would not have to rely on a teacher, and could master the secrets of the art for themsel

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