The global Go community continues to honor the extraordinary life and legacy of Thomas Y.
Hsiang with two of its highest recognitions.
The Nihon Ki-in announced on February 18 that Hsiang had been selected as a recipient of the Okura Kishichiro Award (Okura Prize), one of the most respected honors in the world of Go. The award came just days after his passing on February 12, 2026, and stands as a final, fitting recognition of his lifetime of service to the game.
In addition, the International Go Federation (IGF) has formally conferred upon Hsiang the title of Honorary Vice-President. In announcing the appointment, IGF’s Tom Urasoe wrote: “This appointment serves as a tribute to his remarkable contributions to our organisation.”
Established in 1964, the Okura Prize honors individuals who have made exceptional, long-term contributions to the development, promotion, and global standing of Go. Hsiang now joins an extraordinary lineage of recipients whose influence has shaped Go far beyond the board.
“Thomas Hsiang devoted his life to building bridges between cultures, organizations, and generations of Go players,” said American Go Association Gurujeet Khalsa. “His leadership, generosity, and quiet persistence shaped the modern global Go community in ways that few people ever manage. This recognition by the Nihon Ki-in is richly deserved, and we are grateful that his impact is being honored at this level.”
Hsiang’s selection reflects more than half a century of service at the highest international levels. He served for many years as Vice President of the IGF and most recently as its Counselor, playing a pivotal role in coordinating international Go activities and strengthening global cooperation. As Secretary General of the International Mind Sports Association (IMSA), he helped integrate Go into the broader international mind sports movement.
He was also a principal organizer for Go’s inclusion in major multi-sport events, including the 2008 and 2012 World Mind Sports Games and the SportAccord World Mind Games from 2011 to 2014. In North America, Hsiang served on the board of the North American Go Federation (NAGF) and was a central figure in advancing both professional and amateur Go across the continent.
Perhaps his most enduring institutional legacy was the founding of the Iwamoto North America Foundation (INAF), where he served as Executive Director. Through INAF, Hsiang helped secure long-term funding for Go in North America, including support for the National Go Center in Washington, D.C. His collaboration with the Ing Foundation led to the creation of the first North American Ing Cup in 1991, establishing a partnership that has supported the American Go Association for more than three decades.
At the grassroots level, Hsiang remained deeply committed to teaching and mentorship. At the Empty Sky Go Club in Rochester, New York, he helped nurture a vibrant local community that produced numerous volunteers, organizers, and leaders within the American Go Association.
In addition to his organizational leadership, Hsiang was an accomplished player and early innovator in online Go. In 1994, he won the first-ever worldwide online Go championship under the handle “nomad,” marking a milestone in the game’s digital history. His many honors include the Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendation in 2020, the AGA’s Edward Lasker Award in 2023, and an honorary 7-dan certificate from the Nihon Ki-in in 2014.
Past recipients of the Okura Prize include many of the most influential figures in Go history, among them Go Seigen, Minoru Kitani, Edward Lasker, Ing Chang-ki, Cho Nam-cheol, Yoshio Ishida, Cho Chikun, and the creators of Hikaru no Go. Thomas Hsiang’s posthumous selection—and his designation as IGF Honorary Vice-President—place him firmly within this distinguished tradition.
With these honors, the global Go community recognizes not only Thomas Hsiang’s remarkable achievements, but a life defined by humility, generosity, and an unwavering belief in Go as a bridge between people and cultures.
photo: Thomas and his wife Joy (far right) with Hiroko Taki of the Japan Go Federation, Nihon Ki-in and World Pair Go Association. Photo by Phil Straus.