Honinbo Jowa

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Honinbo Jowa
Full name	Honinbo Jowa
Kanji	本因坊丈和
Date of birth	1787
Place of birth	, Japan
Date of death	1847
Place of death	, Japan
Rank	8 dan

Honinbo Jowa (本因坊丈和, original name Todani Matsunosuke, 1787 - 1847) served as 12th Honinbo from 1827 and Meijin Godokoro from 1831 until 1839, when he was forced into retirement.

Jowa was born in Nagano, Japan in 1787. It was said that Jowa had great strength without equal. Historically he was accorded the title "latter sage" to match Dosaku who was known as the "former sage". At some point in the Meiji Era this title was transferred to the more popular Shusaku, as word was spread that Jowa made use of the contacts that Hayashi Genbi had within the government to help him attain the Meijin Godokoro position. However, even without playing a sogo, Jowa's strength was still apparent.

Later on in his life, Jowa also played one of the most famous games in Go history known as the "Blood-vomiting game". Gennan Inseki, a former rival of Jowa, knowing that he could not defeat Jowa himself, persuaded Intetsu Akaboshi, a rapidly improving pupil of Gennan, to play against him. The match started with Akaboshi having the advantage, as he unleashed the taisha variation that was developed secretly in the Inoue house. However as the four day long game progressed, Jowa slowly clawed his way into the lead by playing three famous moves known as the "Ghost Moves", the three moves were supposedly brought to Jowa by ghosts, allowing him to grind Intetsu's lead away.

In the end, Jowa won, and as the stones were being cleared from the board, Akaboshi kneeled over the board and coughed up blood. Within a few weeks, he was dead.

Preceded by Honinbo Satsugen	Meijin 1831–1839	Succeeded by Honinbo Shuei
Preceded by Honinbo Genjo	Honinbo 1827–1839	Succeeded by Honinbo Josaku