Japan, November 1999

A three-week visit to Japan in November 1999 provided an opportunity to investigate Japanese forms of the game. The standard modern game is Shinjuku san-chome, played on the Tokyo subway network, with the JR lines having a similar role to BR lines in the London game. It is generally considered (except by the MCC and Mrs. Trellis) to be the most complex layout in the world. However, there are many local variations with quite a different character, as befits a country having 78 railway companies.

I resided in Tsukuba (the first "u" is silent), which is a modern town about 40 miles north-east of Tokyo, built in the 1960s to accomodate various government research institutes. Outside Tsukuba, the traditional ways of life continue with little change. The nearby double-peaked Tsukuba-san (Mount Tsukuba) is home to an important Shinto shrine and a local version of the game.

The funicular and the cablecar make up the Tsukuba-san network. With just two stations on each line and no intersections, this minimal version of the game is typical of rural areas.

The frog is a sacred symbol in the Tsukuba area, and this frog-shaped rock, which stands about eight feet high, is a ritually auspicious spot at Tsukuba-san to place tokens. Contestants about to take part in championships come to this rock and throw a token into the mouth of the frog. If the token stays there, they expect to be successful, but if it misses or falls out of the frog's mouth, they believe the kami (spirits) are against them.

Sumo is the ultimate in Japanese Crescent. The board consists of just a single station, and the only possible moves are shunts (kimarite), of which there are 70 distinct forms. Here Kaio wins by yorikiri (force-out shunt).

Another Japanese form, originally from China, is go, played on a board of 38 lines meeting at 361 intersections. Everything turns on token play in this game, and victory consists not in arriving at the winning station, but in capturing the largest number of stations and enemy tokens. Here, two novices are playing on a reduced 13x13 board.

I never did find out what this meant.	A representative of CAMRES3C.
The Master of Shinjuku san-chome arrives with his bodyguards for an exhibition match.

A novice was sent to play Shinjuku san-chome in a local tournament.
"Where will you move?" asked his opponent.
"I move to Akasaka," he replied.
"Then I move to Shinjuku san-chome" said his opponent, and won the game.

A month later, the novice was sent again, to play Shinjuku san-chome in a local tournament.
"Where will you move?" asked his opponent.
"I move to Nippori," he replied.
"Then I move to Shinjuku san-chome" said his opponent, and won the game.

A month later, the novice was sent again, to play Shinjuku san-chome in a local tournament.
"Where will you move?" asked his opponent.
The novice replied, "I move to Shinjuku san-chome."

Hasune commented: "By winning, the novice lost. Better had he spent ten eternities in the frozen hells than play Shinjuku san-chome."

Roppon-gi said, "The novice lost by winning, and so won. Hasune knew nothing."

The master said, "All destinations are the same. Shinjuku san-chome, Haneda monorail, no difference!"
The novice replied, "If all destinations are the same, why is there any need to move?"
"No need! No need at all!" said the master, hitting him with a large podume. Then he moved to Shinjuku san-chome and won.
The novice was enlightened.

There was a master who replied to every piece of news, good or bad, with the words, "Shinjuku san-chome."
A novice asked him, "Master, why do you always reply, 'Shinjuku san-chome'?"
The master replied, "Shinjuku san-chome."
The novice was enlightened.

You have slipped into a vertical token nexus!
You cling on to a pegged podume at Ueno with your teeth!
Wild snoods prowl below at Higashi-Ginza!
An opponent at Kita-Senju is hacking at the roots of your peg!
How will you reach Shinjuku san-chome?
If you answer, you will fall! If you do not answer, you will fall!

© 1999 Richard Kennaway.