Go
The History:
Go continued to grow in popularity over the years, and became strategically analyzed and masterminded. An important aid in Go's impact on Japanese culture was the government grants that Japan gave to Go players and houses. A Go monk named Nikkai, who tutored a warlord named Oda Nobunaga, played in a tournament in 1588, which he won. As a reward, the government gave Nikkai an annual salary, the first such government-sponsored salary for Go.