By Galo S Mirth
For shogi fans, 2023 felt like one of those years when the whole map of the game shifts. The headline was Sota Fujii completing the eight-title sweep by taking the Oza title in October, but the year also had major title-match stories, women’s title momentum, and a strong sense that shogi’s public presence kept growing.
This review highlights the biggest developments in professional and cultural terms, with links to Japanese primary sources.
The year of the eight crowns
On October 11, 2023, Fujii won the 71st Oza title match and became the first player in history to hold all eight major titles at once. The Japan Shogi Association announced both milestones on the same day. Within days, Fujii was also announced as a recipient of the Prime Minister’s Commendation, a sign that his achievement had crossed into broader national recognition.
Major title-match results that shaped 2023
Several title cycles in 2023 reinforced the same pattern: Fujii’s consistency in long matches and his ability to convert momentum across different formats.
- 36th Ryuo: Fujii defended against Takumi Ito (4-0).
- 64th Oi: Fujii defended his title.
- 48th Kio: Fujii took the title from Akira Watanabe.
- 71st Oza: Fujii took the title from Takuya Nagase, completing the eight crowns.
In practical terms, this meant 2023 was not just one famous result in October. It was a full-year accumulation across multiple high-pressure matches.
Women’s shogi and broader shogi culture in 2023
2023 also had meaningful movement outside the main men’s title headlines. Women’s title competition stayed highly visible, and major player news continued to draw broad interest. One notable example from October was the JSA announcement of Shota Chida and Marika Nakamura’s marriage, which received attention well beyond specialist circles.
The combination of historic records, media coverage, and frequent high-level title games helped make 2023 a strong “gateway year” for newer fans who started following professional shogi more closely.
Why 2023 matters historically
Shogi has had dominant eras before, but 2023 stands out because dominance, scheduling density, and public visibility all peaked at the same time. For historians of the game, this year is likely to be treated as a reference point when discussing the modern title system and the scale of one-player supremacy within it.
Sources (Japanese)
- 日本将棋連盟「藤井聡太、史上最年少で王座奪取と八冠達成！」 (2023-10-11): https://www.shogi.or.jp/news/2023/10/post_2364.html
- 日本将棋連盟「藤井聡太竜王・名人、内閣総理大臣顕彰受賞のお知らせ」 (2023-10-13): https://www.shogi.or.jp/news/2023/10/post_2365.html
- 日本将棋連盟「千田翔太七段と中村真梨花女流四段が結婚」 (2023-10-16): https://www.shogi.or.jp/news/2023/10/post_2363.html
- 日本将棋連盟 第36期竜王戦 七番勝負: https://www.shogi.or.jp/match/ryuuou/36/
- 日本将棋連盟 第64期王位戦 七番勝負: https://www.shogi.or.jp/match/oui/64/
- 日本将棋連盟 第48期棋王戦コナミグループ杯 五番勝負: https://www.shogi.or.jp/match/kiou/48/
- 日本将棋連盟 第71期王座戦 挑戦者決定トーナメント／五番勝負: https://www.shogi.or.jp/match/ouza/71/
Image attribution: Female SHOGI Professional Tomoka Nishiyama. Source: Wikimedia Commons (File:Female_SHOGI_Professional_Tomoka_Nishiyama.jpg). Author: Pooh456. License: CC BY-SA 4.0.