From: Dick Iwakura <dickcon <at> HK <dot> NTTDATA <dot> NET>
Date: 18 may 1996
Subject: Reply to Mr.Stouten

Pieter Stouten wrote:
>
> Let me just make one comment, though. Notation gives people an opportunity
> to exchange information *about* shogi games. It has nothing do with
> modifying the cultural heritage of the game of Shogi. If you discuss van
> Gogh paintings in Japanese, are you smudging the Dutch cultural heritage?
> Of course not!

        I completely agree your opinion but I was just so sad by somebody"s
        mistake at initial stage of the notation.

> >I hope SHOGI-L officer can adapt both way as Mr.Engelhardt mentioned
> >above.
> I think you may have misinterpreted Mr. Engelhardt's words. He said
> "japanese system with kanjis and all." Without kanji the Japanese system is
> not so suitable.
                I thought Fu, Kin, Hisha are Kanji for him.
                If it is no, I am sorry for my misunderstanding.


 Mr. George Fernandez, American representative to the next
> Ama Ryu O tournament, strong 4-dan, officer of the DC Shogi Club, and
> spouse of a Japanese lady, is preparing a very eloquent evaluation of
> notation systems. I would hope we can wait for his posting to appear and
> then close this discussion.

                Good Idea!
                I hope all of us can accept his new method including
                Japanese Ama.Shogi Players and JSF Proffesionals.


 As far as SHOGI-L officers are concerned,  Matthias Mutz and I together own
SHOGI-L. I have not heard his opinion, but I am certainly dead against using
 any different notation system than the one in use unless there are clear
advantages to adopting a new system.
>               I thought SHOGI-L is free opinion board.
                Anyway, I will follow owner's instructions.
                Makemashita!


> When I learned Shogi, it took me two or three games to learn the kanji on
> the pieces (although I sometimes mistook golds for silvers and vice versa
> for a while after that). It took me 5 minutes or less (I did not time it
> <g>) to learn the international notation system, which is a prime example
> of clarity. I forwarded Mr. Iwakura the international notation system, and
> I am sure he will be able to understand it in a very short time.

        Yes, I will try to learn it but it takes a not short time because
        I did not study Chess at all.  Until I finish learning, please let
         me write on the board in Japanese way for overseas Japanese who
        are anxiously waiting for Shogi news on the internet.
        I think I can learn it within one month, then I can write both
        notation at the same time.    Is it O.K. for you ?

                                Thanks for your efforts for Shogi always.

                                Best regards    Dick Iwakura