Meijin (shogi)

The word meijin (名 mei "excellent, artful", 人 jin "person") refers to a highly skilled master of a certain field (the various arts found in traditional Japanese culture, such as the Japanese tea ceremony, go, competitive karuta, rakugo, budō).

Later that year Yoshio Kimura, who was a student of Sekine, became the first Meijin to gain the title based upon actual performance by winning a tournament which included eight other top players.

Finally, in 1947, the JSA officially established the preliminary round of ranking tournaments (順位戦, jun'isen) that it currently uses.

[6] A new professional, therefore, needs at least five years experience (five successive promotions) after their debut before they can qualify to challenge for the title of Meijin.

[17] Sakata, a folk hero for the Osaka area, was known during his heyday for his brilliant, inventive playing but was prevented from becoming a normal Meijin by circumstances.

[19] Below is a list of professional players grouped by their class for the 83rd Meijin league (April 2024 – March 2025) including their rank in dan as of 16 January 2025[update].

Masao Tsukada (right) playing against Yasuharu Ōyama in 1948 for the Meijin title.
Sekine's Meijin Resignation Ceremony (将棋名人退就位式) in February 1938. Pictured sitting in the foreground are Sekine (left) and Kimura (right). (The person standing in the foreground is Kenosuke Kosuge .)
Kinjirō Sekine 關根金次郞 (1868–1946), the thirteenth Lifetime Meijin and last hereditary Meijin
Sankichi Sakata