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Why isn't chess popular in Japan?

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Re: Why isn't chess popular in Japan?

#71

Post by Jach »

mcv wrote: post #63

Another way to ask this question is: why is go less popular outside east asia? It's huge in Japan, China and Korea, and although it has its fans in Europe and the US, it's much more niche there. I've got to admit, since I got kids I moved back from go to chess. Somehow it's more accessible, because everybody here knows chess.

I'm not even convinced Go is all that popular in Japan compared to Shogi or Mahjong. Even Gomoku (five in a row, no capture rule) seems more popular. I can't really say anything about the popularity of go salons since I have yet to visit one but I can't help but notice that the game is never included as a minigame in Japanese titles like the Yakuza series (which has all sorts of other board minigames) or even Clubhouse Games for the Switch (51 games, one of them Gomoku, but no Go). It'd probably take another Hikaru no Go to increase popularity again...

Re: Why isn't chess popular in Japan?

#72

Post by orwin »

jstanley wrote: post #48
rtpg wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe not too cold, but definitely too hot to be in direct sunlight. I meant chill in the “not caring that you are playing chess in the place”. Most cafes or restaurants here have express rules against playing card games or the like at tables, for example (for good reason)

What's the good reason?

Only after 18 I ever had trouble with playing in a bar/café. I always ask before, and sometimes they loan you the game. I even have a bar where I can play chess until 1:45 (it close at 2) and they're the one loaning the chessboard.

Re: Why isn't chess popular in Japan?

#73

Post by bombcar »

rtpg wrote: post #56
bobthepanda wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At least in US which is also usually pretty commercial it is a lot more palatable to propose to a business owner if you promise to come in during an extremely slow time period (e.g. Monday for a bar). But otherwise the worst for the owners is a bunch of slow people sitting a long time ordering very cheap things, taking seats from more spendy, higher turnover customers. It also doesn’t help that my impression of Japan…

Yeah that's a good point. I know a couple events whose scheduling is "we ask the bar what day they usually have ~0 people, and we will instead bring 30 people". Always seems a bit limited to bars, but it's something!

Restaurants can also be willing to host especially if they’re open all day and have slow times. One restaurant even put up a plaque for the group that has been meeting there at 10AM on Mondays for ten+ years.

Coffee shops are smaller these days, but for a small group it can work.

Re: Why isn't chess popular in Japan?

#74

Post by johnnyanmac »

_def wrote: post #40
rtpg wrote: post #19

One thing that kinda sucks in Tokyo in particular is a dearth of just chill public spaces. I think Go and Shogi both benefit from incumbent status, with club spaces and the like existing. Chess meetups right now seem to be relegated to city community spaces (glad they exist!). But I was real jealous when I was in Brisbane for a bit and visisted a chess meetup that was just happening in a cafe. Also saw some kids play…

The concept is called third place and I think it's super beneficial to any city https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_place

yup. Big reason behind the social isolaion that was happening even before the pandemic.

- Shops become corporatized, elbow out the mom and pops, and try to minimize loitering. This is combined with the decline of malls in some countries so there isn't really a "hang out" place anymore - community centers shrank and closed down, with the reamining becoming more focused on parents and children, so not quite a place for some 20/30s age single people to mingle. - decline in religious beliefs kn the newer generations mean church or similar sorts of groups aren't an option.

In other words, If you're single and not into a bar scene, the Third Place is nearly impossible to find these days. There are still in theory plenty of places left that I didn't list, but my personal experience reflects a lot of "Bowling Alone". I can be in a cafe or gym, but I haven't felt I was a part of a social experience in such environments since college. It's no different from being behind someone at a cash register; maybe I can get some small talk, but it never translates to a continuing friendship.

Re: Why isn't chess popular in Japan?

#76

Post by nikanj »

yakubin wrote: post #37
nikanj wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The emphasis here is on chill, those are all outdoor spaces and Tokyo gets quite cold during the winter

Is that true? According to Wikipedia: > The coolest month is January, averaging 5.4 °C Doesn’t sound very cold to me. If anything, I’ve only heard complaints about how hot it often is in Tokyo (and most of Japan, except Hokkaido).

It’s true. I’ve done a number of trips to Japan and learned to pack winter clothes after the first one. The evenings get really cold

Re: Why isn't chess popular in Japan?

#77

Post by baby »

Jach wrote: post #71
mcv wrote: post #63

Another way to ask this question is: why is go less popular outside east asia? It's huge in Japan, China and Korea, and although it has its fans in Europe and the US, it's much more niche there. I've got to admit, since I got kids I moved back from go to chess. Somehow it's more accessible, because everybody here knows chess.

I'm not even convinced Go is all that popular in Japan compared to Shogi or Mahjong. Even Gomoku (five in a row, no capture rule) seems more popular. I can't really say anything about the popularity of go salons since I have yet to visit one but I can't help but notice that the game is never included as a minigame in Japanese titles like the Yakuza series (which has all sorts of other board minigames) or even Clubhou…

Watching One Piece on Netflix made me realize I really want to see an adaptation of Hikaru no Go on the screen. What a fantastic manga.

Re: Why isn't chess popular in Japan?

#79

Post by plopz »

baby wrote: post #77
Jach wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not even convinced Go is all that popular in Japan compared to Shogi or Mahjong. Even Gomoku (five in a row, no capture rule) seems more popular. I can't really say anything about the popularity of go salons since I have yet to visit one but I can't help but notice that the game is never included as a minigame in Japanese titles like the Yakuza series (which has all sorts of other board minigames) or even Clubhou…

Watching One Piece on Netflix made me realize I really want to see an adaptation of Hikaru no Go on the screen. What a fantastic manga.

There was a chinese live action made that was pretty faithful

Re: Why isn't chess popular in Japan?

#80

Post by jstanley »

orwin wrote: post #72
jstanley wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What's the good reason?

Only after 18 I ever had trouble with playing in a bar/café. I always ask before, and sometimes they loan you the game. I even have a bar where I can play chess until 1:45 (it close at 2) and they're the one loaning the chessboard.

For a few years my friends and I played chess in various pubs almost weekly and we never had any complaints at all.
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