#3 History of 将棋(Shogi)! Part2

　This time, we’re diving into The history of Shogi part 2. Let's explore the fascinating development of Shogi throughout Japanese history!

　The Edo period was a golden age for Shogi. The Tokugawa shogunate's policy of isolation allowed cultural activities, including Shogi, to flourish within Japan. During this time, the prestigious title of Meijin (Master) was established, and professional Shogi players began to emerge.

Shogi became a profession!

　Doing what you love and excel at isn't always enough to make a living. Until around the 15th century, it was still tough in Japan to earn money solely from playing Shogi. On the other hand, Go has a longer history than Shogi and was highly regarded as a form of culture, especially among the nobility and monks.
　
　In the late 16th century, two superstars emerged: Honinbo Sansa (本因坊算砂) and Ohashi Soukei (大橋宗桂). Honinbo Sansa was a Go expert, but he was also a formidable Shogi player, and it's said that he played over 100 games with the Shogi master Ohashi Soukei. The oldest recorded game between these two dates back to 1607, making it more than 400 years old!
　
　This period, known as the Sengoku Jidai (戦国時代) or "Warring States Period," was a time of great turmoil in Japanese history. However, in 1603, Tokugawa Ieyasu (徳川家康) established the Edo Shogunate and unified the country, ushering in an era of peace.
　
　The high-level matches between Honinbo Sansa and Ohashi Soukei drew significant attention to Shogi. Influential figures of the time, such as Toyotomi Hideyoshi (豊臣秀吉) and Tokugawa Ieyasu, elevated the social status of Shogi, transforming it into a profession where one could earn a living solely from playing the game!
　
　From this point onwards, the lineage of Honinbo Sansa mastered Go, while the lineage of Ohashi Soukei mastered Shogi. These families have maintained their respective traditions in an unbroken line.

Shogi as a career

　Shogi players were employed by those in positions of authority and held roles quite similar to modern-day civil servants. They had two main responsibilities:

1. To display high-level Shogi matches in front of the elite.

2. To present Shogi puzzles, known as Tsume-Shogi (詰将棋), to the Shogun.

Masterpieces in the history of Tsume-Shogi

What is Tsume-Shogi?

　Tsume-Shogi is a type of puzzle in Shogi. Similar to chess checkmate problems, it challenges the solver to find a sequence of moves leading to checkmate, typically within a set number of turns.
　
　These puzzles help players sharpen their strategic thinking and tactical skills. The difficulty of Tsume-Shogi varies greatly, ranging from simple, short problems to intricate, multi-step solutions, making them ideal practice for both beginners and advanced players.

If You Can Solve This, You Can Become a Professional!

　There is an incredible collection of Tsume-Shogi problems created by 18th-century Shogi masters Ito Sokan(伊藤宗看) and Ito Kanju(伊藤看寿). This compilation is renowned for its challenging problems, so much so that a Showa-era Shogi professional once said, "If you can solve all the problems in this Tsume-Shogi book, you will become a professional."
　
　One particularly difficult problem requires 611 moves. Considering the average number of moves in modern professional Shogi game is around 120, this puzzle demands five times that amount.
　
　Interestingly, the record for the longest Tsume-Shogi problem in the modern era is a staggering 1525 moves. However record of Ito Kanju stood unchallenged for about 200 years until the modern era. It’s truly mind-boggling!

　Let me introduce you to one of the fascinating puzzles from this collection. This problem is called "Kemuri Zume" (煙詰, smoke checkmate). In this puzzle, 39 pieces are initially placed on the board, but only three remain at the end. The pieces gradually disappear one by one, like smoke. To learn more about this intriguing puzzle, click on the link below!

117手詰・将棋図巧第99番「煙詰」（伊藤看寿作）

The Shogi world up to the Edo period

　The Warring States period ended around 1600, ushering in the Edo period, which lasted for about 260 years. During this time, numerous prominent figures in the Shogi world emerged. This was largely due to the powerful patrons who supported Shogi and the widespread love for the game among the Japanese people.

　However, in 1868, the samurai era came to an end, and Japan began its modernisation. What would become of the Shogi world without the support of those in power? In the next article, I will delve into the history of modern and contemporary Shogi.

Thank you for reading!