One of the most well-known board games, surpassing even the famous Go in popularity, is Shogi, or “Japanese chess.” It is also played by two people on a checkered board using white and black pieces.
However, unlike classical chess, in Shogi the black pieces — “sente” (先手, “those who go first”) — move first, and the white pieces — “gote” (後手, “those who go later”) — move second. The types, movements, and values of the pieces differ as well, and the board size isn’t limited to 8×8 — it can reach up to 36×36 squares!
History of the game
The exact origins of Shogi are unknown, but it certainly emerged in Japan — sometime between the years 794 and 1185 CE. Supporting evidence includes the treatise “New Records of Sarugaku” (新猿楽記) by the Japanese court scholar Fujiwara no Akihira (藤原明衡), from the Heian period (平安時代). This text describes the rules of the game in detail and notes that even then the game was divided into “small Shogi” and “large Shogi.” The former was played on a 9×9 board and the latter on a 13×13 board.
Looking deeper into history, it’s likely that Shogi originated from the Indian game Chaturanga (चतुरङ्ग), just like classical chess. Chaturanga first spread from India to Persia, where it became the game Shatranj (شَطْرَنْج). Later, Shatranj gained popularity in Southeast Asia, where it gave rise to Xiangqi (象棋, China), Janggi (장기, Korea), and Shogi (Japan).
The oldest 16 Shogi pieces discovered by archaeologists in Nara Prefecture date to the 11th century. They are flat pentagonal shapes inscribed with Japanese characters. While the shape of the pieces has remained the same, the size of the boards varied greatly through the centuries. Between 1185 and 1573, Shogi in Japan was played on boards as large as 36×36 squares, with up to 804 pieces involved in a single match. This made it one of the most complex games in its class, far more intricate than Western chess.
There were several versions of Shogi: for example, Dai Shogi (大将棋, 15×15), Chū Shogi (中将棋, 12×12), Dai Dai Shogi (大大将棋, 17×17), and even Taikyoku Shogi (大局将棋, 36×36). These versions required not only exceptional memory and strategic thinking, but also several hours or even days to complete a game.
In the 16th century, Shogi was simplified by Japanese Emperor Go-Nara (後奈良天皇) and standardized into its modern form. From then on, the board was fixed at 9×9 squares, and only 40 pieces were used. Go-Nara introduced a groundbreaking rule — under certain conditions, players could take captured opponent pieces and reuse them. This made Shogi truly unique, rather than just another chess variant.
With this rule in place, Shogi came to be seen not only as a game of strategy but also one requiring mental flexibility: players must consider not only their own pieces but also those that could be used against them after capture. This dynamic greatly expands the scope of tactical possibilities.
Shogi reached peak popularity in Japan from the early 17th to the late 19th century. It was considered the favorite pastime of shoguns (military commanders), and the strongest player earned the title of Meijin (名人, “great master”) and was appointed official minister of Shogi. In the latter half of the 19th century, the game lost state support and, after World War II, even faced the threat of being banned.
The reason the Japanese government sought to ban Shogi was its use of captured pieces, which evoked direct associations with prisoners of war. However, the Shogi master of the time, Masuda Kōzō (升田幸三), successfully defended the game. His key argument was that in classical chess, pieces are not captured but effectively “killed,” which is even more violent.
Masuda Kōzō not only convinced the authorities of the game's cultural value but also organized exhibition matches, published press articles, and gained support from intellectuals. Thanks to his efforts, Shogi was not only preserved but experienced a resurgence of popularity in the postwar years.
Interesting facts
Shogi is a centuries-old Japanese game that has accumulated numerous fascinating facts over the past 900 years. Some of them include:
- Contrary to popular belief, Shogi — not chess — is the most widely played “chess-type” game in the world, originating from Indian Chaturanga.
- Japan officially celebrates Shogi Day on November 17. This tradition dates back to the 17th century, when ceremonial matches were played before the shogun by the strongest players.
- Depending on skill level, Shogi players receive ranks (dan — 段) within the kyū-dan (級—段) system: amateur, professional male, and professional female tiers.
- There is an entire school in Japan dedicated to Shogi. It only admits students over 20 years old who have reached the fifth amateur dan level.
- From the 1990s to the 2000s, the top Shogi player was Japanese Yoshiharu Habu (羽生善治), who earned 99 title victories. In the 2020s, leadership has been held by fellow countryman Sōta Fujii (藤井聡太).
- Sōta Fujii became the youngest player in history to earn the Meijin title at the age of 21, breaking a record that had stood for over half a century. He was also the first in history to hold all seven major titles simultaneously.
As of 2025, at least 20 million people play Shogi at amateur and professional levels. This far exceeds the number of players in Renju or Go. Shogi is rightly considered one of the most popular board games not only in Japan but around the world.
This game not only fosters strategic thinking but also introduces players to Japan’s rich culture. Many who try it once become lifelong fans of Shogi.