Kisei

Kisei is one of the seven major professional Go titles in Japan. The title is awarded through an annual championship series conducted within Japan’s professional Go system.

The reigning professional title holder must defend Kisei in each year’s championship series. The player who wins the competition becomes the Kisei title holder, recognizing that player as the leading professional to emerge from that title contest.

Kisei is a professional title, not a rank, a playing-strength category, or a move concept. It describes an achievement in organized professional competition rather than a player’s general level or a particular technique on the board.