Go Seigen - End of Career and Retirement

End of Career and Retirement

In the summer of 1961, Go Seigen was struck by a motorcycle and was hospitalized for two months and again for a longer period a year later. He suffered nerve damage, and his stamina and concentration greatly deteriorated as a result. The accident marked the beginning of the end for Go Seigen's career, as he was unable to play effectively in grueling long matches due to nausea and dizziness. He gradually played less and less and went into virtual retirement in 1964, although he did not "officially" retire until 1983.

Since retirement, Go Seigen has remained active in the Go community by teaching, writing, and promoting the game around the world. He has authored a number of books on Go, some of which include A Way of Play for the 21st Century, Modern Joseki Application Dictionary, and Fuseki and Middle-game Attack and Defence. Go Seigen still holds study sessions with other professional players such as O Rissei, Michael Redmond, Rui Naiwei, and others.

In 1987, Go Seigen was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun, 3rd Class, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon for his lifetime contributions to the game of Go.

In 1999 Mr. Teramoto, Go Seigen's manager, told Go writer Pieter Mioch "He is one of three Go players who will still be notable several hundred years from now. The other two are Dosaku (1677 – 1702) and Shusaku (1829 – 1862)."

Chinese film director Tian Zhuangzhuang filmed a 2006 biopic on Go Seigen entitled The Go Master.