From: =?ISO-2022-JP?B?GyRCPmVCPCEhTTU7ThsoQg==?=              <mgn-kam <at> PO <dot> HARENET <dot> OR <dot> JP>
Date: 22 jan 1996
Subject: notation

Dear Shogi fans,

Martin-san wrote;
:Let's think what's going on in Judo, for example.  The association of Judo
:in Japan is sticking to white uniform, while European association started
:using colorful uniform.  I know the white uniform means something in
:Japanese culture, but Judo is not the property of Japanese culture, any
:more.  It is played by many peoples in the world.  Too much Japanese style
:may be sometimes disturbing for 'international' games."

I don't think that example is adequate to refer in the notation and descri-
ption of Shogi. You can make the board and pieces using plastics, rubber or
even metal on any kind of color. No one will complain on it.
That has nothing to do with Japanese culture. It's not the point.

Pieter-san wrote;
:I think Roman numerals are the worst choice: they require up to three
:characters, mistakes are easily made (see Sunny Sano's message of 16
:January, where "iv" is given rather than "ix" for rank "9"), and ancient
:Roman numerals have as much to do with Japanese as the anglo-saxon
:alphabet.

We have already determined to use Arabic numbers 1 to 9 instead of Romans
as recommended by Randy-san. It's also agreed by Mr. WAKASHIM of Kyoto Univ.
It will be modified in the new edition.
Square code is, however, a slight problem. You can modify or alter and adopt
the most convenient way. That neither has nothing to do with Japanese culture.

I say again I'm not a nationalist nor patriot or something like that.
Never.

When I was in junior high I've read a document novel of French party which
has first overcome one of the 8000 meter hige peaks in Himalaya by Japanese
translation.

I'm not sure with spellings, but the title was "A virgin peak Annapurna".
On it, I remember, I could see the dog fight out of imagination and got the
name of Maurice Erzogue, Rionel Teray, Guston Rebufa, etc. (Sorry, spells
are not confirmed).
Explanation was given there that the name of the peak "Annapurna" was inter-
preted as "White queen" or "Queen of the agriculture".

I think its original should be written in French. But through Japanese
translation I was introduced to the world of the mountain expedition and
precious human documents.

We have to follow their way.
Indian people did not urge them to express the peak name by Indian letters.
It's okayed to express it with the alphabet, what important is to convey
real pronounciation. French climbers did not translate the peak name into
such as "La reine blanche" nor "La reine d'agriculture".
They transferred the real name as it was. Thaks to their effort, a Japanese
boy living in provincial area in Kyushu could touch the real name of the
peak.
That name was surely something living with the wind blowing in Himalaya.

Let us follow that way.
"White Queen" is not the Annapurna.
Hearing that, Indian people might not get angry, but sure to make a sigh.

Technical problem in expressing the real name is the one to be resolved.
People who prefer the "easy" way will not be able to overcome the difficu-
lty in learning Shogi.

with regards,

K. Sunny SANO
KFF00705 <at> niftyserve <dot> or <dot> jp