Go Board vs Shogi Board: Size, Lines and Where the Pieces Go, and What to Buy If You Play Both

One board cannot serve for both go and shogi. A go board and a shogi board are made of the same woods and stand on the same kind of legs, but the playing surface is different: its size, the number of lines, and where the stones or pieces go.

Side by side they look like close relatives, so it is natural to wonder whether buying one would let you play both games. In practice, what they share is the construction; what differs is the playing surface. This page sets out the differences in a table first, then sorts out what to buy if you want to play both.

For choosing a go board on its own, see How to Choose a Go Board.

The differences at a glance

Dimensions vary by product. Check the exact measurements with a go or shogi equipment shop before buying.

The decisive difference is where you play. In go, stones are placed where lines cross; in shogi, pieces sit inside the squares the lines mark out. The number of lines and their spacing follow from that.

Size: at the same thickness, the go board is heavier

A go board is made a size larger than a shogi board. Comparing the approximate dimensions above, a go board’s surface is about 1.6 times the area of a shogi board’s.

Thickness for both is given in sun (寸; 1 sun is about 3.03 cm). At the same “5 sun”, the go board is the heavier of the two. When choosing a legged board, think not only about where it will sit but whether you can lift it.

• How shogi board dimensions are described: Shogi Board Sizes
• Choosing a thickness: Go Board Thickness

Besides 19×19, go boards also come in smaller 13×13 and 9×9 sizes for beginners. The differences are covered in 9×9, 13×13 or 19×19?

Lines and star points

Go board lines

A go board has 19 lines each way. Because stones are placed on the intersections, the lines are spaced to suit the size of the stones. The cells are not perfect squares: they are made slightly longer than they are wide.

Shogi board lines

A shogi board has 10 lines each way, forming a 9×9 grid. These squares are also slightly longer than wide, which suits pieces that stand lengthwise in the rows.

Star points

On a go board, the nine star points mark where stones are placed in handicap games and help you read positions on the board. On a shogi board, the four dots divide the board into thirds of three ranks each, marking the boundary of the zone where pieces can promote (the opponent’s camp).

The way the lines themselves are drawn, including the tachimori technique with a blade, is shared by go and shogi boards; see Tachimori: How the Lines on a Go Board Are Drawn.

What they share: wood, legs, craftsmanship

Go and shogi boards have long been made by the same craftsmen, so the following are shared by both:

• Wood. Hon-kaya (Japanese torreya) is regarded as the finest, with shin-kaya, katsura, ginkgo and others also used. See Hon-kaya vs Shin-kaya.
• Leg shape and the hollow underneath. Their origins are covered in Go Board Legs and the Chidamari.
• Care and storage. Dry wiping is the basic routine, and both need protecting from humidity and direct sunlight. See Caring for a Go or Shogi Board.

However, wood for a shogi board is not necessarily chosen by the same criteria as for a go board. The sound of pieces being played and the way pieces mark the surface are different.

If you want to play both, what to buy

Three ways to go about it

A two-sided board has a go grid carved (or printed) on one face and a shogi grid on the other. You will find these among thin tabletop and folding boards. A legged board has legs on its underside, so it cannot be two-sided.

If you cannot decide, ③ is the hardest to get wrong. If one game turns out to be the one you play most, the money has gone into the board you actually use.

What else you need besides the board

For stones, see How to Choose Go Stones; for the pieces, Types of Shogi Pieces. Everything you need to start go is in The Equipment You Need to Start Go.

FAQ

Can I play shogi on a go board? No. A go board is made for placing stones on intersections, not in squares, and its number of lines and spacing do not fit shogi. Shogi pieces do not match the size of a go board’s cells, and the board is divided differently.

I want my child to learn both. What should I buy? To start, a two-sided tabletop board, or two thin tabletop boards, is plenty. In go, starting on a 9×9 board keeps games short, which makes it easier to stay with.

For a gift, a go board or a shogi board? It depends on which game the person plays. Rather than choosing a two-sided board without knowing, find out which they play first.

Where can I compare go and shogi boards before buying? Specialist go and shogi equipment shops often have both on display, so you can see the difference in size and weight in person. Where to buy is covered in Where to Buy Go Equipment.

Summary

• Go and shogi boards are not interchangeable. The decisive difference is where you play: on the intersections or inside the squares.
• A go board has 19×19 lines and 361 intersections; a shogi board has a 9×9 grid of 81 squares.
• The go board is a size larger, and at the same thickness it is heavier.
• Wood, leg shape and care are shared, but wood for a shogi board is not chosen by the same criteria as for a go board.
• To play both: a two-sided board, two tabletop boards, or a good board only for the game you play more. If unsure, spend on the one you play more.

Dimensions and weights vary by product. Before buying, check the actual measurements with a go or shogi equipment shop (checked October 2026). Kayajudo is an independent guide to Japanese go and shogi equipment.