As expected, Japan's go pros have already stepped up to the plate in a big way to help provide donations to the Tohoku earthquake fund. One event that caught my eye was a weekend at the Kansai Ki-in where pros made themselves available as Aunt Sallies for teaching games (higher pros costing much more), all the fees going to the fund.

Now Cho U has made what seems to be the biggest individual contribution. At the accession ceremony for his Kisei title on 19 April 2011, he announced he was donating one third of his prize money, i.e. a donation of 15 million yen (about US$180,000). Naturally enough, considering the Kisei is a Yomiuri event, he gave it to the Yomiuri Light and Humanity Association which (I think) is not a charity per se but a conduit to make sure all donations go to reputable charities.

If you're curious, these accession ceremonies are normal for all the top titles. They typically take place in a hotel with invited guests (250 in the New Otani in this case). I'm not sure about the precise goodies at each event, but for the Kisei the titleholder gets Letters Patent from the Nihon Ki-in and the Kansai Ki-in, the owners of the title, and a medal. The medal this time was inscribed with a copy of a large bird on a gilt bronze ornament in the Shosoin. I'm not sure of the significance, but the Yomiuri usually sponsors the annual exhibitions at the Shosoin, where exhibits are brought out very briefly once every twenty years, and maybe that is one of this year's exhibits. Some of this modern paraphernalia is sometimes on show in the Nihon Ki-in's Hall of Fame.

Aunt Sally?