Boys and Girls Go Tournament

Japan's national schoolchildren's championship, held every summer since 1980 and carrying the Minister of Education's Cup since the 27th edition. Prefectural qualifiers feed a national finals weekend at the Nihon Ki-in's Tokyo headquarters, with separate elementary and middle-school divisions; from the 14th edition the title games have been played in the Yugen no Ma, the Ki-in's ceremonial tournament room, and broadcast on NHK Educational with professional commentary. It is the tournament most Japanese professionals pass through on the way up — Iyama Yuta among them.