Release of the Concluding Volume of the Masterpiece Non-fiction Depicting the Bonds of the Shogi World, 'Shitei: Kishi no Miru Yume', on April 22 (Wed) from Kobunsha [Includes Cool Photos of Takumi Ito! 16 Pages of Color Photographs]

The non-fiction book 'Shitei: Kishi no Miru Yume' (Master and Pupil: The Dreams Shogi Players See) by Hironobu Nozawa will be released on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.

This work is the third and final installment of the 'Shitei' series, which won the 31st Shogi Pen Club Award. It delves into the unknown bonds between the young talents closing in on the stronghold of the absolute champion, Sota Fujii, and the masters who have watched over and guided them.

Book Contents

As the shogi world experiences unprecedented excitement, attention is shifting from just the 'results of the matches' to the 'stories of how the players were raised.'

This book vividly portrays the masters and pupils who are currently rewriting the history of the shogi world, including the story of Takumi Ito, who captured the Eiō title from Sota Fujii in 2024, and Toshio Miyata, the 8-dan who trained him. The sharp perspective unique to the author, who is also a photographer, combined with words spun from the trust built through years of close-quarters coverage, brings into relief the harshness and warmth of the competitive world.

Key Highlights of the Book

1. Depicting the frontlines of 'Defeating Fujii' How was Takumi Ito, recognized as a rival of the same age, raised? The book portrays the passion of the Miyata school, focusing on the fellow pupils (Takumi Ito, Kei Honda, Asuto Saito).

2. The challenges and bonds of a female shogi player Includes the story of Tomoka Nishiyama, a 3-crown female player making history by challenging to become the first female professional shogi player (Professional Admission Test), and her master, Hirofumi Ito 7-dan.

3. Records of versatile master-pupil relationships Covers a wide range of 'master-pupil forms', from heavyweights of the Kansai shogi world to Daisuke Suzuki 9-dan, who is popular for his commentary. It captures the moments of passing the baton of life, going beyond the transmission of technique.

4. Includes 16 pages of color photographs (frontispiece) showing unexpected sides of the players rarely seen in matches or shogi media interviews. A must-see, especially for female fans.

Main Masters and Pupils Featured (Titles omitted)

Toshio Miyata 8-dan × Takumi Ito 2-crown, Kei Honda 6-dan, Asuto Saito 6-dan Nobuo Mori 7-dan × Takayuki Yamasaki 9-dan Daisuke Suzuki 9-dan × Hirotaka Kajiura 7-dan Keita Inoue 9-dan × Wakamu Deguchi 6-dan Hirofumi Ito 7-dan × Tomoka Nishiyama Female 3-crown Koichi Fukaura 9-dan × Yuki Saito 4-dan Taku Morishita 9-dan × Yasuhiro Masuda 8-dan

Author Profile Hironobu Nozawa

Born in Tochigi Prefecture in 1968. Graduated from Sophia University, Faculty of Law, Department of Law. Began his career as an exclusive photographer for the weekly photo magazine 'FLASH' in 1993. He has covered and photographed incidents, entertainment, and more, winning the magazine's annual scoop award three times. As a freelancer, he has shot numerous talent photo books and magazine covers. Having enjoyed shogi since elementary school, he actively interviews shogi players across various media. He won the 31st Shogi Pen Club Award for his book 'Shitei Kishi-tachi: Tamashii no Densho' (Published by Kobunsha) and 'Shitei: Shonen Jidai ni Kawashita Futatsu no Yakusoku' (Shogi Sekai). His other works include 'Kizuna Kishi-tachi: Shitei no Monogatari' (Shincho Bunko) and 'Ookuwagata ni Jinsei o Kaketa Otoko-tachi' (Futabasha).

Book Information

Title: Shitei: Kishi no Miru Yume Author: Hironobu Nozawa Scheduled Release Date: April 22, 2026 Price: 2,200 yen (Base price 2,000 yen + 10% tax) Publisher: Kobunsha Format: 4-6 Edition (360 pages) ISBN: 978-4-334-10954-7