Tomoka Nishiyama will become the first woman to enter Japan’s regular professional shogi ranks, breaking a century-old barrier in the typically male-dominated game, after announcing Monday morning that she would exercise her newly acquired eligibility. Nishiyama, 31, who holds four women’s titles, told a news conference in Tokyo that she had decided to become a kishi after considering her options for two weeks. I also realized how strongly I wanted to compete against strong players and aim higher,” she said.
Shogi has two separate professional classifications: kishi, which is open to both men and women, and jōryu kishi, which is exclusively for women. No woman had qualified as a kishi since the Japan Shogi Association was established in 1924. The association introduced a system in 2025 allowing players who have won the prestigious women’s Hakurei title five times to qualify for professional status.
Nishiyama won the title for a fifth time on Oct. 10 but had initially held off on deciding whether to exercise her right to play as a kishi. She will officially become a fourth-dan professional on April 1, 2027. Nishiyama plans to continue competing in women’s title matches alongside her new professional career.
The people who came before me have built that history,” Nishiyama said.
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