By Galo S Mirth
Kana Fukuma, one of the most decorated women’s professionals in modern shogi, has announced that she will take the professional admission exam (棋士編入試験). The Japan Shogi Association news page framed this as a major institutional development and later added schedule details. For shogi fans, this is not just one player’s challenge. It is a high visibility test of the crossover path between the women’s title world and the open professional system.
Announcement and official schedule
On 2026-02-16, the Japan Shogi Association posted an official news item titled 「福間香奈女流六冠、棋士編入試験受験へ【日程追記あり】」. The wording itself signaled two things: first, that Fukuma would proceed to the exam, and second, that scheduling information would be updated as the process advanced. Because the exam is run under formal JSA procedures, timeline updates are expected to come through official JSA channels. (more…)