Obituary of Iwamoto

Iwamoto Kaoru, 9 dan, Honinbo Kunwa, born 5th February 1902, passed on 29th November 1999, at the age of 97.

His most recent contribution to the development of European Go was the establishment of the European Go Cultural Centre in Amstelveen, the Netherlands. However it is not to say that the remembrance of Iwamoto sensei is limited to his effort in four continental Go Centres. Already in the 1920s he went to Brazil to promote Go. Iwamoto sensei visited Europe frequently starting in the early 1960s.

Iwamoto sensei was an inspired teacher. His insight in the many complicated aspects of the game of Go astonished everybody. His book "Go for Beginners" has been translated into several languages. In Europe we estimate that because of the efforts of Iwamoto sensei more than 100000 people have been acquainted with the game of Go, either through his book or the European Go Centre.

We can say that very few men have made such a large contribution to the present state of Go in Europe as Iwamoto sensei. It is with great sadness that we say farewell to one of the most remarkable Go players of the 20th century.