GODIANA Platinum ＆ Gold | Precision Strategy Board Game

Strategize. Surround. Conquer. — Win More Territory.

Product Feature

Feature 1: Using Strategic thoughts that Never End

Go is a game that uses intelligent and strategic thinking. Gold and Silver stones are used to claim their territory, and deep strategic confrontations are played by reading the opponent's moves and thinking about the next move. Each game develops differently each time, and as long as you continue to read your opponent, you will enjoy a never-ending strategy.

Feature 2: Not Just for 2 players, but for Your Own Time

"GODIANA Platinum ＆ Gold" is a special set for enjoying Go not only as a “Competition” but also as a “time to face oneself”. Usually, Go is played by 2 players, but this product is designed specifically for deepening one's thinking, feeling the sounds of the stones and the touch of the board.

Feature 3: Play it wherever you want

Time alone to face oneself varies from person to person. Some people spend it in their own room, while others spend it in nature. To ensure portability, the total weight has been optimized to approximately 750g. The GODIANA craft Go bag is designed to hold a Go board and stones necessary for playing Go.

This Go board is a 5X5 board (25 stones), so it can be used anywhere because of the compact size. 

The paulownia box that holds the board and stones is also handmade by craftsmen and designed to fit nicely like a jewelry box, so that it is scratch resistant when being transported. It also comes with a compact special folding mat, so it can be used without damaging the board. 

Feature 4: Carefully selected materials

Particular care is given to the Go stones

The Go stones are made by skilled Hamaguri Goishi craftsmen at Kuroki Goishi Shop. Each stone is made from a cone-shaped piece of raw Goishi material, and each piece is cut out by a craftsman. The stripes of the hamaguri are proof of its high quality.

Special care also for the board

Usually, Shin Kaya, Ginkgo, and Hiba are used for the board, but this time, we were particular about the materials used. The board is made of Kaya wood, which has a beautiful grain and color, and is one of the finest board materials in terms of touch, feel, sound, and aroma.

The board is also about 3 cm thick, making it both compact and sturdy, with a good feel for playing Go stones.

The scales on the board are not printed, but are made by a craftsman who finishes each line on the board with real katana, “tachimori” finish, so you can enjoy the beauty of each line by stroking the scale lines by hand.

GODIANA is a fusion of the finest materials and skilled workmanship, and we invite you to spend a moment listening to the sound of the Go stones being struck, enjoying the feel of the Go board, and facing yourself.

Birth Story

Since its founding in 1917, Kuroki Goishi store in Miyazaki Prefecture has crafted Go stones beloved by countless players. 

While Go is traditionally a 2 player strategic board game rich in cultural history and intellectual depth, we envisioned a new way to engage with it—one that could be enjoyed in a more compact, accessible format, helping to introduce the timeless appeal of Go to people across the world.

"GODIANA Platinum ＆ Gold" is a top quality Go set manufactured by skilled Go stone and Go board craftsmen in Japan.

The materials used are also carefully selected, and the Go stones are made of Nachiguro Goishi, a jet-black, fine-grained Go stone used for test stones. This gives the stones a smooth and pleasant playing feel. In addition, this time, the stones are specially designed to be gold and black, or silver and black, instead of the usual black and white.

The board is made of Kaya, which is considered to be the highest quality board material. Kaya is a rare wood that grows slowly and takes more than a hundred years to reach a suitable size for use as a Go board. Due to this, it possesses a unique fragrance and a pleasant playing feel, making it a highly respected choice among Go enthusiasts.

In today's society, the evolution of the Internet and AI, as well as the spread of smartphones and game apps, has caused many people to turn to pastimes other than Go. As a result, the number of Go players is declining, and the continuation of the traditional Go culture is in danger. We felt a strong sense of crisis about this situation and sought a new attempt to convey the appeal of Go more widely to the world and to connect the culture of Go to the future.

GODIANA” was born out of this process.

The name “GODIANA” is an original name that is a combination of “GO” meaning “Go” and “DHYANA” meaning “Zen” in Sanskrit. It was created with the hope that people will cherish the time spent playing Go not only as a time for fun and competition, but also as a time to “face oneself,” the philosophy of Zen. GODIANA Golden and Platinum” is a further evolution of ‘GODIANA’ and is a high-quality, one-of-a-kind product. The materials and finishes used have been carefully selected to make the time you spend playing Go even richer and more meaningful.

Manufacturing Process

Black Go stones are made of high quality Nachi-Kuroishi from Kumano City, Mie Prefecture, and are cut, polished, and shaped by Go stone craftsmen at Kuroki Goishi Shop. They are finished one by one by hand while using a polishing machine. They are characterized by their beautiful bright and smooth texture.

The black Go stones are foil-stamped by Mr. Norifumi Fujisawa, a “certified craftsman of Kyoto craftsmanship” in Kyoto. Gold and platinum foils are artistically scattered on the Go stones by hand to unify the Go stones and the foils. We hope you will enjoy the beauty of this product by holding it in your hands.

The tabletop Kaya Go board is made of carefully selected Kaya wood and handcrafted by board craftsmen. The top line of the board is made by Torayoshi Yoshida, the 4th generation owner of Yoshida Goban Store, using “Yoshida-ryu Tachimori” (Yoshida style sword) finish. On the bottom of the board, there is a sign of Yoshida Goban Ten's production, “ICHIYOSAKU”.

Sustainability

"GODIANA" Go boards are made from close grain wood that could not be used as material for regular size Go boards or Shogi boards. Kaya is a very rare wood that is rarely traded on the market, and GODIANA is able to make full use of this valuable material.

Achievements

"GODIANA", a previous product, was first exhibited on the Japanese crowdfunding site “makuake” in 2023, and became a hot topic in the Go world, recording sales of more than $10,000 due to its ease of use and beauty. It has not cooled down since then, and is still being purchased by many people.

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About Us

Kurokigoishiten（Kuroki Goishi Store : The Manufacture of Go Stone)

Since its establishment in 1917, Kuroki Goishi Store has been committed to manufacturing and service with sincerity. Thanks to your support, we are now doing business with customers in more than 50 countries around the world. As the number of bearers of traditional Japanese culture and crafts is decreasing, we are truly fortunate and very proud to have customers all over the world who seek our products and services. 

We will continue to evolve from a company of high-end Japanese Go products to a company that promotes Japan's wonderful traditional crafts to the world. While passing on the art of Go stone manufacturing and the culture of Go to the next generation, we will continue to bring to you wonderful traditional Japanese crafts that are still unknown to the rest of the world.

Fujisawa Norifumi (The Gold Artist)

Born in Kyoto, the artist graduated from the Kyoto Traditional Crafts College in 1998 and apprenticed under renowned gold leaf craftsman Masaji Okamoto. Specializing in gold leaf application for shrines and temples, they established Kyoto Kinpaku Oshitori Tokowaka and became a Kyoto Certified Traditional Craftsman in 2015.

They now blend traditional techniques with modern art, host workshops, and exhibit globally, sharing the beauty of gold leaf craftsmanship worldwide.

Yoshida Goban Shop (The Manufacture of Goban)

Founded in 1916, Yoshida Goban Shop has over 100 years of history crafting Go boards, passed down through generations of Banshi Yoshida Torayoshi.

Boards made by Yoshida Torayoshi feature the “Ichijo” inscription, symbolizing the unity of heart and craftsmanship (Busshin Ichinyo). This reflects the belief that a true Go board is created when the craftsman’s spirit merges with the board.

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