She soon started attending a neighborhood shogi school three times a week and playing practice games on the Internet.

[1][2] In 2009, she won the girls' division of the 30th All Japan Junior High School Student Shogi Championship [ja] as a junior high school second-grade student[3] and thereafter was accepted into the Japan Shogi Association's training group in Osaka.

[2] Nishiyama quickly progressed through the training group system and was eventually accepted into the JSA's apprentice school at the rank of 6-kyū under the tutelage of shogi professional Hirofumi Itō.

[2] After high school, Nishiyama moved to Tokyo to study environmental informatics at Keio University, but she has been on a leave of absence to focus on shogi since 2015.

Taniai lost one of his two games, but Hatori and Nishiyama won both of theirs which meant that all three finished league play with the same record.

[8][9][10] On April 1, 2021, the JSA announced that it had accepted Nishiyama's request to leave the apprenticeship school and become a women's professional under its affiliation.

[15][2] Nishiyama and Katō met again in May 2018 in the 11th Women's Myavi Open Tournament [ja] and its Jo-Ō title.

Nishiyama defeated the defending Jo-Ō Katō 3 games to 1 to win her first major title match.

[2][16] Nishiyama successfully defended her Jo-Ō title the following year when she defeated women's professional shogi player Kana Satomi 3 games to 1 in May 2019.

[19] In June 2020, Nishiyama successfully defended her Jo-Ō title by defeating Momoko Katō 3 games to 2 to win the 13th Women's Myavi Open Tournament.

[22] In her first major title defense since leaving the JSA's apprentice school and officially changing her status to women's professional, Nishiyama defeated Sae Itō 3 games to 2 to win the 14th Women's Myavi Open Tournament and retain her Jo-Ō title in June 2021.

[23] Nishiyama defeated Mana Watanabe 4 games to none to win the 1st Hakurei [ja] title in September – October 2021.

[26] In April – June 2022, Nishiyama challenged Satomi for the 33rd Women's Ōi title but was defeated 3 games to 1.

This time, however, Satomi came out on top and won the match 4 games to 3 to capture Nishiyama's Hakurei title.

[36][a] A few weeks later, Nishiyama returned to 4-crown status by defeating Satomi 4 games to 3 in 3rd Hakurei title match (September – October 2023).

[57] Game 5 against Masegi was played on January 22, 2025 at the Kansai Brach office; Nishiyama lost which meant she failed the test.

At a post-game press conference, Nishiyama stated that the test was a good experience that she gained a lot from even though she failed, and that she was happy it brought more attention to Women's professional shogi.