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He was nicknamed "Invincible Shusaku" because of his perfect score of 19 successive wins in the annual castle games. On the other hand, others say that he was not stronger than his teacher, Hon'inbo Shuwa , whom by convention he didn't play in the castle games.

Shusaku is one of two Go players of the game of Go that are given the title of "Go Saint" ( Kisei ), the other one being Hon'inbo Dosaku ( 1677- 1702).

He was born in a village near the town of Onomichi, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan the son of merchant Kuwahara Wazo. Lord Asano, the daimyo of the region, after playing a game with him, became his patron, and allowed him to get lessons from Lord Asano's own personal trainer, the priest Hoshin, a player of professional level.

In 1837, only 8 years old, but already almost of professional level, he left home to join the Hon'inbo school, the most important institute in the game of Go in Japan at the time. On January 3January 3 is the 3rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 362 days remaining (363 in leap years). Events 1496 Leonardo da Vinci unsuccessfully tests a flying machine 1521 Pope Leo X excommunicates Martin Luther. 1749 Benning Wentworth issu, 18401840 is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). Events January 3 One of the predecessor papers to the Herald Sun of Melbourne, Australia, The Port Phillip Herald is founded by George Cavanaugh. January 10 Uniform penny postage, he got his shodan (first dan professional) diploma.

In 1840 Shusaku left EdoThis article is about the former city name of Tokyo, for the Nigerian state, see Edo (state Edo ( Japanese: 江戸, literally: bay- door, " estuary"), once also spelled Yedo or Yeddo is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo. The pronunci to visit his home for a period of over a year. In the next years, he made steady progress, reaching 4 dan in 1844Events January 15 University of Notre Dame receives its charter from Indiana. February 27 The Dominican Republic gains independence from Haiti. February 28 A gun on the USS Princeton explodes while the boat is on a Potomac River cruise, killing two United, when he again visited home for a prolonged period. In April-May 1846Events January 5 The United States House of Representatives votes to stop sharing the Oregon Territory with the United Kingdom February 5 The Oregon Spectator becomes the first newspaper on the Pacific coast of the United States. February 10 Many Mormons, returning to Edo, he played against Gennan InsekiGennan Inseki ( 1798- 1859) was head of the Japanese Inoue go house from 1824- 1846. He proposed a changed numbering that made him the eleventh head (rather than tenth), by including Doseki at the head of the list. At various times he was known as Hattori, arguably the strongest player of that time. Shusaku played with a handicap of two stones, but Gennan found that he was too strong, the game was left unfinished, and a new game was started with Shusaku just playing black. Gennan played a new joseki (opening variation in a corner), in which Shusaku made a mistake. All people watching the game thought Gennan was winning, except for one, a doctor. He noticed that Gennan's ears became red after a specific move of Shusaku's in the middle game; a sign that Gennan was surprised. This game is one of the most famous in the game of Go, and the "ear-reddening move" is probably the most famous single move.

Returning in Edo, Shusaku not only got promoted to 5 dan, but he was also made the official heir of Shuwa , who was to become the head of the Honinbo house. Shusaku declined at first, citing his obligations towards Lord Asano as the reason. After that issue was settled, Shusaku accepted.

As the official heir to the head of the Honinbo house, Shusaku had an eminent position. His grade also increased, he finally reached 7 dan, although it is not known exactly when—some think in 1849 while others say in 1853. After forcing his main rival Ota Yuzo to take a handicap, he was generally accepted the strongest player with the exception of Shuwa.

In 1862, a cholera epidemic swept through Japan. Shusaku tended the patients within the Hon'inbo house, and fell ill himself, dying of it on September 3.

Shusaku's name is connected to the Shusaku fuseki, a certain method of opening the game on black, which was developed to perfection (but not invented) by him, and was the basis of the popular opening style up to the 1930s.

In the popular anime and manga Hikaru no Go, the fictional Go player Fujiwara-no-Sai possessed Shusaku as a small child and was responsible for his incredible talent.