Japan isn’t just famous for sushi and temples—it’s also a fantastic place for kids to explore traditional board games like Go and Shogi. Surprisingly, many local community centers, children’s halls, and even some welfare facilities offer free lessons for children and families.
Even very young children—sometimes as young as three—can start learning the basics, making it a fun activity for the whole family.
Go is a game with incredibly simple rules, yet its depth is astonishing.
Players take turns placing black and white stones on a board, trying to control more territory than their opponent. Even though the basics are easy for children to pick up, the strategic possibilities are endless, making it a game that is both fun and challenging. In Japan, many community centers and children’s halls offer free lessons, so families can enjoy learning Go together, sometimes starting as early as three years old. As far as you understand the simple rules, you don’t even need to understand Japanese; it can be played wordlessly.
My 5-year-old son recently tried Go for the first time. At first, he was just playing with the stones, but when the teacher said, “Try to capture as many white stones as you can!” his interest immediately switched on—it looked like a fun puzzle to him.
The teacher was moving around to help many children, and whenever he came back to my son, my son would place a stone and then spend the time until the next round thinking about his next move. Before we knew it, he had been concentrating and playing for a full hour. I could tell he felt a little pressure, not wanting to lose, but at the same time he was fully focused, wanting to win! He didn’t fully understand all the rules yet, but the game was simple enough, and the teacher would sometimes let him win or give advice, so he managed to succeed. Afterward, he was already saying he wanted to play again.
There were about ten children in total, ranging from around 4 years old up to middle schoolers. During quiet moments, some kids quietly worked on tsumego — Go life-and-death puzzles. One 6‑year‑old girl was being praised by an older gentleman for how strong she was, and it was really striking to see kids of all ages and genders enjoying the game so much.
Shogi, often called Japanese chess, is another popular game that teaches strategy, planning, and critical thinking. With its unique rule where captured pieces can return to the board under your control, it offers endless challenges and excitement.
These games have a strong following in Japan, and joining a local lesson is a wonderful way for children and parents to experience Japanese culture firsthand. Whether you’re a visitor or a resident, spending an afternoon learning Go or Shogi is not only educational but also a memorable bonding experience.
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