Tomoka Nishiyama to become the first woman in shogi’s general professional ranks — The Japan Times

In Tokyo, Japan, 31-year-old shogi player Tomoka Nishiyama announced that she will move into the general professional ranks. She will become the first woman to obtain kishi status — a professional player in the general shogi system. Nishiyama will officially become a fourth-dan professional on April 1, 2027, The Japan Times reports.

A decision after two weeks of deliberation

Nishiyama, who holds four women’s titles, said at a press conference in Tokyo that she had considered the decision for two weeks. According to her, support from many people made her realize how strongly she wants to compete against strong players and achieve better results.

In 2025, the Japan Shogi Association introduced a system under which players who win the prestigious women’s Hakurei title five times become eligible for professional status. Nishiyama won the title for the fifth time on October 10, but initially did not rush to decide whether to take the opportunity to move to the kishi rank.

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Two professional classifications

Shogi has two professional classifications: kishi, open to men and women, and joryu kishi, a system for female professional players. Since the Japan Shogi Association was founded in 1924, no woman has qualified as a kishi.

Nishiyama plans to continue competing in women’s title matches alongside her career in the general professional system. She also noted that the women’s professional system has a history of more than 50 years, built by previous generations of female players.