20-year-old shogi star aims to defend prestigious Ryuo title for 1st time as series starts

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:33 JST, October 7, 2022

The battle for the Ryuo title, the most prestigious of all eight major shogi titles, began Friday between 20-year-old defending champion Sota Fujii and eighth-dan challenger Akihito Hirose in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo.

Both players, wearing traditional Japanese attire, appeared at the Cerulean Tower Noh Theater. The first match in the best-of-seven series of the 35th Ryuo shogi tournament started with Hirose making the first move.

Shogi star Fujii currently holds five of the eight major titles and is defending his Ryuo title for the first time. Hirose, a former Ryuo title holder, is aiming to claim it again.