I'm interested in getting a nice table board at some point in the future. Perhaps the type/"brand" used in a Japanese go salon (Nihon Ki-in Public Area? Hotel New Otani?) might be nice for home use....

first, I've never been to Japan but

http://www.kurokigoishi.co.jp/ sell nice boards. Yellow mountain imports sell boards from there which is handy for postage if you're in the US. Plus check out shodan imports. http://shodanimports.com/

I hear that anything with Hikaru no go characters on it is sooo last year - so avoid

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I am John. John-I-Am.

Last time I played at the Nihon Ki-in they used katsura 5cm (2 sun) thick table boards in the public salon. Similar boards are used in many salons but high class ones use kaya 5cm thick table boards.

This the Nihon Ki-in type of set:

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No aji, keshi, kifu or kikashi has been harmed in the compiling of this post.
http://www.gogod.co.uk

Pretty. Maybe I can convince my husband that a set like that would be a lovely Christmas present... next year.

yep.

When I visited Japan, the boards were these thick table boards, very worn and sticky; from grease and sweat. And the stones were sticky, too. They were under heavy use

stones must be washed every few days.
if the stones are sticky i would never go there again.

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"The more we think we know about
The greater the unknown"
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