Tomoka Nishiyama to become first woman in regular professional shogi ranks
The four-time women’s titleholder will enter the kishi ranks as a fourth-dan professional on April 1, 2027.
Tomoka Nishiyama has decided to take up her eligibility to become a kishi, making her the first woman to join Japan’s regular professional shogi ranks. The 31-year-old announced her decision at a Tokyo news conference after spending two weeks considering whether to proceed.
Her qualification follows a fifth Hakurei title victory on Oct. 10. Under rules introduced by the Japan Shogi Association in 2025, winning that women’s title five times gives a player eligibility for regular professional status.
Shogi’s professional structure has two categories: kishi, open to men and women, and jōryu kishi, reserved for women. Since the association’s establishment in 1924, no woman had qualified for the kishi category.
Nishiyama, who holds four women’s titles, said encouragement from others and her desire to face strong opponents helped shape her decision. She plans to keep playing in women’s title competitions while pursuing her new professional career, acknowledging the contributions of earlier players to a women’s title system spanning more than 50 years.
