From: Pieter Stouten CARBON DMPC COM> Date: 1 may 1996 Subject: SHOGI HOMEPAGE'S USE OF JAPANESE CRITIZED The attached mail is forwarded on behalf of Michael Engel <100616.2474 CompuServe COM>. 1 week ago (April 23), "The Daily Yomiuri", one of the English speaking Japanese newspapers, reported the following: ------------------------------------------------------------ SHOGI HOMEPAGE'S USE OF JAPANESE CRITIZED Okayama-A new Internet homepage dedicated to shogi has stirred controversy because it uses only Japanese to define the pieces and terms of the board game instead of English "chess" words as similar homepages do. The homepage is the brainchild of Katsumi Sano, a 42-year-old translator from Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, who wants to share shogi with the world via the Internet. But he also wants to preserve the game's Japanese identity. Also some foreigners have expressed support for Sano's use of only Japanese, several Japanese competitors, who use chess terms on their shogi homepages, say Sano is only creating confusion. The translator researched various shogi guidebooks, then published his own instruction book on the game in English last October. Three months later he unveiled his shogi homepage. English rule books translate shogi terms such as "hisha" and "ote" into the chess equivalents of "rook" and "check," respectively. Sano, however, decided to use original Japanese terms only, believing that the "God" of shogi would get angry if he used "king" instead of "Osho". Sano's homepage is gaining popularity. It is accessed daily by about 50 people, a third of whom are foreigners. However, shogi groups that have preceded Sano onto the Internet say the translator should go along with the crowd and use chess terms. the Japan Shogi Association, which released a shogi instruction booklet in English in 1985, says there are no official rules regarding notations. The book uses both Japanese and English. A typical entry, for example, reads: "knight(keima)." Under such circumstances, most of those who access Sano's homepage are supportive of his Japanese-only approach. One American e-mailed the page, saying the use of chess terms for shogi undermines the game's cultural heritage. While go, another popular board game has an estimated 500,000 followers in other countries, shogi only has around 1,000. One of the reasons for the great disparity is said to be the difficulty involved in reading the game pieces. "As far as judo is concerned, 'ippon' evolved into a common word that is now used around the world," Sano said. "I believe that shogi also has a strength that will never lose its essence even if it is played abroad." Meanwhile, a shogi association official says, "It is good to have active discussions on the matter. It is necessary to have a rule book in future to promote the game further around the world and we would like to hear many opinions about how terms should be noted." Sano's homepage address is: http://www.harenet.or.jp./mugen ------------------------------------------------------------ Dear Shogi-fans, As a beginner of Shogi, I would like to say the following: I personally like the use of the Kanji and the Japanese terms for shogi and I think they are easy to learn and to remember. Therefore, I think the Japanese terms should be used as long as it is possible. Such a thinking is pure nationalism and should be avoided by all means. A game which should be fun and lead to understanding between people from different countries and cultures does not belong to some people - it belongs to the human society. Let me ask first three different questions: 1) Isn't it true that the origin of shogi is not Japan even if it has been developed into shogi in Japan. 2) Do the Chinese complain that the Japanese have different readings for "their" Kanji ??? 3) Where is origin of the idea of digital recording (Compact Discs) and who got famous with it ? [Just guessing: Philips and Sony, respectively -- Pieter] Nobody can want to spread something over the world and claiming he/she is the only one who has the right to determine it's future. Only by teaching other people, somebody should influence. Instead of battling ("preserve the game's Japanese identity"), do teaching - it's more efficient, better and nicer. If somebody is really interested in the game, after starting perhaps with the English terms, he/she will certainly study the original terms, too. Let's enjoy Shogi together as members of the human society and not as people from different countries. Michael K. Engel Japan 100616.2474 compuserve com Let me finish with a smile and a German old saying: "Was kuemmert es die Eiche, wenn sich ein Wildschwein an ihr kratzt?"[An oak tree doesn't care if a wild pig scratches it's back using the tree trunk.] This is what the God of shogi thinks after hearing that "king" has been used instead of "Osho".