From: DANERUD MARTIN comhem se> Date: 8 dec 2005 Subject: Some comments about shogi dojos, clubs and centers in Tokyo Your free subscription is supported by today's sponsor: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Make phone calls with phone service from Packet8.Order VoIP today & get Free Activation, Free Equipment & First Month=20 Free! Packet8 30-day money back guarantee. 1-877-868-1135 http://click.topica.com/= caaegt4a2i6YsbnuqMaa/ TMONE ------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear shogi friends, I have spent the last months in Tokyo, and there have been some good=20 occasions to play shogi. In this e-mail, I would like to summarize my=20 experiences from shogi dojos, clubs and centers in Tokyo, since I know=20 that several visitors to Japan often like to enjoy their favourite game=20 over the board in a genuine environment. I have mainly played at four different places, which I describe below: The shogi center at Shogi Kaikan in Sendaygaya How to go there? Get off at Sendagaya station on the JR Sobu line.=20 Walk straight after leaving the station exit with a sports center on=20 your left-hand side. Continue straight even though the street turns a=20 little to the right. Then you will come to a shinto shrine. Turn left=20 and walk one hundred meters along the shrine area and then turn right,=20 still following the shrine area. After 50 meters, you will find Shogi=20 Kaikan on your left-hand side. This place has a lot of advantages. There is the shop on the first=20 floor with shogi sets, books, and everything and you can also find the=20 editorial staff of Shogi Sekkai as well as the Nihon Shogi Renmei=20 office and the professional shogi scene. The shogi center itself on 2F=20 is nice and clean. Smoking is limited. In all shogi centers the players=20 pay a daily fee of around 1000 yen. There are children and women among=20 the players. Unfortunately, there are not so many players regularly,=20 just occasionally.=20 The strength of the players is medium. The drawback is that if there=20 are few players, then it will be difficult to get opponents at your own=20 level. Shinjuku Shogi Center How to go there? Get off at Shinjuku station and go out at the East=20 Exit, Kabukichou exit. There you will see the big Studio Alta screen.=20 Walk straight, passing the Studio Alta screen on the left side, until=20 you reach a big street. Cross the street and turn to the right. You=20 will then walk along the big street at the left-hand side walk.=20 Continue until the end of the block and go to 5F just before a Family=20 Mart store.=20 This place is big. There are always a lot of players from 10 a.m.=20 until 12 p.m. However, the players are generally old with just a=20 handful of players below 40. The shogi organisation is handled very=20 well, but the general feeling is a little bit rough, not so fresh and=20 very smoky.=20 The strength of the players is a little below medium, but on the other=20 hand, every player with maximum 4-dan will always be paired with=20 players of suitable strength, since there are always a lot of players=20 around. However, a decrease in the number of players can be noted=20 compared to ten years ago. Okachimachi Shogi Center How to go there? Get off at Okachimachi station at the Yamanote line=20 and go out at the South Exit. Then turn left 180 degrees and follow the=20 train tracks (on the outside of the station) around 50 meters and you=20 will find the center on 4F on your right-hand side. This place is relatively big. There are generally around 50 players=20 until they close at 10 p.m. The players are old gentlemen with just a=20 few players below 40. The shogi organisation is a little more informal=20 than at Shinjuku Shogi Center, but the place is nice, clean and fresh=20 with a Western style toilet (Westerners who have been in Tokyo know=20 what I mean). The strength of the players is a little above medium. Most of the=20 games are following opening theory longer than you will experience=20 anywhere else, and the players keep good shape in their games. That=20 makes the games more valuable, and the general attitude of the players=20 is more analytical after the games than elsewhere. The local shogi club (in my case at Shin-Koiwa) How to go there? There are several smaller, local clubs in Tokyo. This=20 particular club can be found by going to Shin-Koiwa station on the Sobu=20 line and go out at the South exit. Then go left and cross a busy street=20 by taking stairs up and down. Then just follow the street eastwards=20 along the train tracks, and you will find the shogi club on the left- hand side after 200 meters on 1F. The club is, typically, small with=20 around ten very regular players. The daily fee can be lower at local=20 clubs. The general structure of the local clubs, on the other hand, is often=20 similar. The playing strength is often very unevenly distributed. Often=20 one player is dominating with around 4-dan. The rest of the players are=20 weaker. The big advantage with the local club is of course the=20 proximity to where you live. It is easy to sneak in and play for just a=20 few hours. The disadvantages are that there are often the same, few=20 players and opening theory and good shape are seldomly seen. On the=20 other hand, a glass of beer and a good joke are more common. Generally, in the era of shogi games with players from all over the=20 world at the Internet and the access to relatively strong PC programs,=20 the number of visitors to shogi centers and unfortunately also the=20 number of shogi centers are decreasing. The visitors are also ageing=20 gradually. Many persons whom I have talked to say that they simply save=20 money by staying at home and play shogi at the computer. With daily=20 fees of around 1000 yen and travelling costs around 500 yen and maybe=20 the additional cost of dining out at a restaurant makes, not the=20 occasional visit but the regular, in many cases daily, visits,=20 expensive.=20 On the positive side is of course the genuine environment, the nice=20 atmosphere with either a good post-mortem analysis or a good laugh. My=20 personal feeling is that all kind of Internet activities at home,=20 however interesting, will make you tired in the end. One may also be=20 tired after playing shogi at shogi dojos, clubs and centers, but there=20 are always new experiences and new impressions that will be stimulating=20 and give some additional energy in the end. Thus, I definitely=20 recommend a visit to a shogi center in Tokyo and some good games over=20 the board. Best regards,=20 Martin Danerud Your free subscription is supported by today's sponsor: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Is your computer freezing up or slowing down? Repair corrupt files and harmful errors - protect your PC Take a 2-minute PC health check-up at no charge! http://click.topica.com/= caaegt3a2i6YsbnuqMaf/PC PowerScan ------------------------------------------------------------------- --^---------------------------------------------------------------- This email was sent to: = shogi-l shogi net EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a2i6Ys.= bnuqMa.= c2hvZ2kt Or send an email to: shogi-unsubscribe topica com For Topica's complete suite of email marketing solutions visit: http://www.topica.com/?p=3DTEXFOOTER --^----------------------------------------------------------------