Masao Sugiuchi
Japanese Go player
About Masao Sugiuchi
Lived 1920 – 2017 (aged 97). Masao Sugiuchi was a Japanese go professional.
was a professional Go player.
Biography Born in Miyazaki, Japan, in 1920, Sugiuchi became a professional in 1941. By 1959, he had reached 9 dan. His nickname was "the God of Go" (Japanese 碁の神様, Go no Kami-sama) because of his serious style and strait-laced personality. In December 2004, he became the oldest Nihon Ki-in professional to reach 800 career wins. He was married to Kazuko Sugiuchi (née Honda), one of three professional go-playing sisters, who ended her own career as a professional Go player in 2025, at the age of 98.
Masao Sugiuchi died in Tokyo on November 21, 2017, at the age of 97.
Runners-up Title Years Lost Current 4 Honinbo 1954, 1958 Tengen 1976 NHK Cup 1982
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Important facts
Related people
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Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Masao Sugiuchi?
Japanese Go player (1920-2017)
When was Masao Sugiuchi born?
Masao Sugiuchi was born on 20 October 1920 in Miyazaki.
When did Masao Sugiuchi die?
Masao Sugiuchi died on 21 November 2017 in Tokyo.
What was Masao Sugiuchi's occupation?
Masao Sugiuchi was a go professional.
What nationality was Masao Sugiuchi?
Masao Sugiuchi was Japanese.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Masao Sugiuchi. https://biography.guide/masao-sugiuchi/
MLA: "Masao Sugiuchi." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/masao-sugiuchi/.
Chicago: "Masao Sugiuchi." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/masao-sugiuchi/.
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