By Galo S Mirth
2025 was another dense year in shogi. The title scene stayed intense, but the year also brought major structural and cultural changes, from prize-money realignment to women’s-title milestones and new records by younger players and non-professionals. This review highlights the most important developments from the Japanese shogi world across the 2025 calendar year.
By Galo S Mirth
Professional shogi in 2024 felt like a year of consolidation at the top and adaptation across the wider scene. The title calendar stayed packed, digital spectatorship remained central, and discussion around preparation, engine use, and match stamina continued to shape how fans and players read high-level games.
By Galo S Mirth
2021 was the year shogi’s center of gravity shifted. Sota Fujii did not just win. He changed the shape of the title map, taking the Ryuo crown and becoming the youngest ever four-crown holder. At the same time, women’s shogi entered a new era with the launch of the Hakurei title system and its rank league.
By Galo S Mirth
2020 was one of the most memorable years in modern shogi. It was the year of major title transitions, the formal expansion to eight major titles, and the breakthrough that turned Sota Fujii from a rising star into a central figure of the professional scene. It was also a year when the pandemic forced organizers, players, and fans to adapt quickly.
By Galo S Mirth
2019 was one of the most dramatic years in modern shogi. A new era name began in Japan, major titles changed hands, and several long running storylines reached turning points.
By Galo S Mirth
2018 was one of the most eventful years in modern shogi. The title map changed repeatedly, a long run of one-crown holders returned for the first time in decades, and new names took major stages in both men’s and women’s title events. It was also a year when online broadcasting and pop culture ties made shogi more visible to general audiences.
By Galo S Mirth
Shogi in 2017 is remembered for two huge stories. First, Fujii Sota’s 29 game winning streak became a national headline and brought many new fans into the game. Second, Habu Yoshiharu won the 30th Ryuo title match and completed the first ever Eisei 7 crown achievement. It was a year where a new generation arrived while a historic champion reached a peak milestone.
By Galo S Mirth
2016 was one of those years when several shogi timelines overlapped. A new Meijin took the crown, major title matches stayed fiercely competitive, women’s title storylines kept moving, and a 14-year-old future superstar entered the professional ranks. Looking back now, it reads like a hinge year between the Habu-centered 2000s and the new era that followed.
By Galo S Mirth
2012 was a transitional year for modern shogi. The established title holders still dominated the major seven title matches, but the conversation around the game was also being reshaped by computer shogi, especially the early Denou-sen events.
By Galo S Mirth
2011 was a year of intense title fights, with Toshiyuki Moriuchi taking the Meijin from Yoshiharu Habu, while Akira Watanabe and Habu traded major crowns. It was also the year of the Great East Japan Earthquake, and shogi events found ways to continue and support affected regions.