By Galo S Mirth
Early February 2026 has been unusually dense for Japanese shogi news. The official Japan Shogi Association feeds show major title match swings, a historic career milestone announcement, new event recruitment notices, and community facing updates that matter for both dedicated followers and casual fans.
Title match headlines dominated the week
The biggest competitive stories in the official news list were from the two top title fronts. In the Osho match, Takuya Nagase’s Game 4 win over Sota Fujii reset the tension in the series. In the Kioh match, Yasuhiro Masuda’s Game 1 win and the run up to Game 2 set up a high pressure early phase in a five game format. Together, these results reinforced that even in the Fujii era, challenger adaptation remains decisive.
A major institutional milestone: Kana Fukuma and the admission exam
Another top item was the announcement that Kana Fukuma (female six crown titleholder in the JSA wording at the time of notice) will take the professional admission exam, with schedule updates appended in official follow up. This is not routine news. It has implications for how the wider public understands crossover pathways between women’s title excellence and the open professional track.
Community and fan engagement stayed active
Beyond board results, the JSA event feed showed dense programming across February and March: title match related viewing events, fan participation opportunities, and regional activities. The event calendar around Kioh and Osho fixtures, plus recruitment notices for Eiou related witness programs, indicates continued emphasis on making elite competition accessible as a shared spectator experience.
Learning and media ecosystem updates
The same period included practical ecosystem items such as online school beginner course enrollment and publication promotions tied to Shogi Sekai. These are easy to overlook next to title drama, but they are structurally important. They expand the learning pipeline and keep the media layer that supports long term fandom and player development.
Promotion and recognition notes
The official feed also carried individual career updates, including women’s player promotion notices. These items are part of the week to week fabric of the scene, reminding readers that Japanese shogi news is not only about headline title games but also about progression, certification, and institutional continuity.
What to watch next
- Kioh Game 2 and onward: whether Fujii stabilizes or Masuda converts early momentum.
- Osho Game 5: whether Nagase’s Game 4 result shifts the full match balance.
- Fukuma exam timeline: official date confirmations and format detail updates.
- Spring event turnout: whether recruitment based fan events sustain the current engagement level.
Sources (Japanese)
- 日本将棋連盟「将棋ニュース一覧」: https://www.shogi.or.jp/news/
- 日本将棋連盟「イベント一覧」: https://www.shogi.or.jp/event/
- 日本将棋連盟「日本将棋連盟主催棋戦一覧」: https://www.shogi.or.jp/match/