By Galo S Mirth
Makoto Nakahara (中原誠) is one of the central figures of postwar professional shogi. He won 64 major titles, held five lifetime title qualifications, and defined an era with his long run at the top of the game.
Early life and rise to the professional ranks
Nakahara was born in 1947 and entered the professional system as a teenager. According to the Japan Shogi Association player database and Japanese reference material, he turned professional in 1965 and quickly became known as a young star with exceptional competitive consistency.
His ascent was not only fast but also historically important. In 1972, he took the Meijin title from Yasuharu Oyama, becoming the first Meijin born after the war. That moment is often treated as a major turning point between generations in modern shogi history.
Peak years and title dominance
Nakahara’s title record is extraordinary. The Japan Shogi Association records him with 64 total title wins, including 15 Meijin titles and 16 Kisei titles. He also earned lifetime qualifications in multiple title lines: 16th Lifetime Meijin, Lifetime Judan, Lifetime Oi, Honorary Oza, and Lifetime Kisei.
His Meijin reign was especially famous. He captured and defended the title repeatedly across different eras and opponents, and his long tenure at the top made him one of the symbolic champions of modern professional shogi.
Rivalries and representative eras
Nakahara’s career crossed several generations of elite players. Japanese records describe major title clashes with Yasuharu Oyama, Kunio Yonenaga, Hifumi Kato, and Koji Tanigawa. These matches connected the older postwar giant era to the highly competitive multi-star period that followed.
He was also active long enough to overlap with the rise of Yoshiharu Habu’s generation, which highlights how broad Nakahara’s competitive era really was.
Leadership, teaching, and public role
Beyond board results, Nakahara served as president of the Japan Shogi Association in the 2000s. He also trained disciples who became professionals, extending his influence beyond his own games and titles.
In shogi culture, Nakahara is frequently remembered as both a dominant champion and a bridge figure: a player who inherited the prestige era after Oyama and helped carry pro shogi into its modern institutional age.
Legacy in modern shogi
When people discuss all-time greats, Nakahara remains unavoidable. The combination of 64 titles, long Meijin success, and multiple lifetime qualifications places him among the top tier of historical legends in Japanese shogi.
Even decades after his peak years, his records and match history are still used as benchmarks when evaluating modern champions.
Sources (Japanese)
- 日本将棋連盟「中原誠｜棋士データベース」https://www.shogi.or.jp/player/pro/92.html （アクセス: 2026-02-17）
- Wikipedia日本語版「中原誠」https://ja.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=%E4%B8%AD%E5%8E%9F%E8%AA%A0&oldid=108239555 （oldid=108239555, アクセス: 2026-02-17）