The aesthetics of the game are as important as the game itself. The best boards are thick, solid pieces of yellow hardwood; the best stones are made from slate and clamshells; the stones are kept in elegant wooden bowls. Although most people play with much less expensive boards and stones, it is possible to spend many thousands of dollars on a nice Go set.

For a good introduction to the game see:

http://www.well.com/user/mmcadams/gointro.html