guard house, at hand. On entering, they found some of the inmates playing
at a game very similar, as it appeared, to chess. This interested the
Doctor, who forthwith set about studying it, uhtil, finally, with the aid of
the interpreters, he succeeded, after some sittings, in mastering its mysteries.
The game is called Sho-Ho- Yt, and is a great favorite among the
Japanese. The Doctor’s account of it will be found below.*
Besides this, they have a game analogous to ours with cards. They
play with flat pieces of horn, ivory, or bone. These are about an inch and
two-thirds long, and little more than an inch wide. There are forty-nine
* JAPANESE GAME OF SHO-HO-YE, ANALOGOUS TO OUR GAME OF CHESS.
This game is played by two persons, with forty pieces, (twenty on either side,) and upon
a chequer board of eighty-one squares (nine upon each side). The board is of one uniform
color, though the squares might be colored, as with us, for the sake of convenience. The
pieces are also of one uniform color, as they are used, (at pleasure,) by either party, as his
own, after being captured from the adversary. They are of various sizes, are long and
wedge-shaped, being at the same time sharpened from side to side, in front, and the names
of each piece are inscribed upon it, both the original, and the one assumed, upon being
' reversed or turned over (as below). Each player knows his men, or pieces, by their pointed
and thin end being always forward or from him. But they would he more readily distinguished
if the hack parts of all were painted with some decided and striking color, as that
part of his own men is seen by each player only—and if the fronts of all the men were
painted of some other color, as that part of the adversary’s pieces is seen by either player
only. They are laid flat upon the board, (front forward,) and thus their names are plainly
visible. They capture, as in chess, by occupying the places of the captured pieces. The
King, Oho-shio, being the chief piece, cannot remain in check, and when checkmated, the
game is lost.
The pieces are named, and are placed upon the hoard, as follows, viz.:
Oho-shio, (King,) centre square, first row.
Kin-shio, (Goid, or chief councillor,) upon first row, and one on either side of Oho-shio.
Gin-shio, (Silver, or sub-councillor,) upon first row, and one on each square, next outside
Kin-shio.
Kiema, (Flying horse,) upon first row, and one on each square, next outside Gin-shio.
Kio-shia, (Fragrant chariot,) one upon each comer square, first row.
Hishia, (Flying chariot,) on second square, second row, right side of the hoard.
Kakuko, (The h o rn ,) .on second square, second row, left side of the hoard.
Ho-hei, (The soldiery,) on all the nine squares of the third row.
The moves and powers of the pieces are as below, only noting, that in capturing, there
is no deviation from them, as with us, in the case of pawns.
Oho-shio moves and takes on one square in any direction.
Kin-shio, as the Oho-shio, except that he cannot move diagonally backward.
Neither of the above are ever reversed or acquire different powers; but all the pieces
below may be reversed, (at the option of the player,) when they move to ox from any square,
in any of the adversary’s three first rows, and thereby they acquire different powers, as
well as different names.
Gm-shio moves and takes as the Oho-shio, except that he cannot move directly on either
side, or directly backward. When reversed, or turned over, he becomes a Gin-Nari-Kin,
and acquires all the powers (and those alone) of the Kin-shio.
1. Oho-shio, (King,) centre square, first row.
2. Kin-shio, (Gold, or chief councillor,) upon first
row, and on either side of Oho-shio.
3. Gin-sldo, (Silver, or sub-councillor,) upon first
row, and one on each square, next outside
Kin-shio.
4. Kiema, (Flying horse,) upon first row, and one
on each square, next outside Gin-shio.
fi. Kioshia, (Fragrant chariot,) one upon eacfy
comer square, first row.
6. Hishia, (Flying chariot,) on second square,
second row, on right side of the board.
7. Kakuku, (The horn,) on second square, second
row, left side of the board.
8. Tlo-hei, (The soldiery,) on all the nine squares
of the third row.