# Tomoka Nishiyama to become first female professional Shogi k > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/tomoka-nishiyama-hakurei-sen-title-match > Updated: 2026-10-26T01:36:00.000Z. Sources: 18. Developments: 4. Tomoka Nishiyama, who secured her fifth Hakurei title by defeating challenger Kana Fukuma, has announced her intention to join the professional ranks of Shogi. At a press conference in Tokyo, Nishiyama confirmed she will exercise the right granted by a new Japan Shogi Association regulation. This regulation, established in June 2025, allows players who win the Hakurei title five times to bypass traditional training academy routes to achieve professional status. Nishiyama, who currently holds four women’s titles—Hakurei, Seirei, Women’s Meijin, and Women’s Osho—is set to be promoted to fourth-dan on April 1, 2027. Upon her promotion, she will become the first woman to hold the professional ‘kishi’ qualification. While she will continue to compete in and retain her women’s titles, she will compete as a fourth-dan in general professional matches. As a member of the ‘free class’, she will participate in various tournaments but will not initially compete in the ranking leagues. To avoid retirement, she must meet specific performance criteria, such as maintaining a high winning percentage over a set number of games, to earn promotion to the C2 class. During her announcement, the 31-year-old Nishiyama stated that after considering her options for two weeks, her drive to face top-tier opponents guided her decision. The Japan Shogi Association acknowledged potential logistical challenges regarding her increased match schedule, as she will balance her new professional career with women’s title matches. Executive Director Daisuke Katagami stated that the association would look into addressing these scheduling and structural issues over time. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-26: Tomoka Nishiyama to become first female professional shogi kishi Tomoka Nishiyama will become the first female professional shogi ‘kishi’ on April 1, 2027, after exercising her right to join the main professional ranks via the Hakurei title rule. 11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/tomoka-nishiyama-to-become-first-female-professional-shogi-player ### 2026-10-24: Tomoka Nishiyama to decide on exercising rights to become first female professional shogi player Tomoka Nishiyama will announce whether she will become the first female professional shogi player after qualifying via a new regulation for winning five Hakurei titles. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/tomoka-nishiyama-to-decide-on-exercising-rights-to-become-first-female-professional-shogi-player ### 2026-10-10: Tomoka Nishiyama becomes first female professional shogi player Tomoka Nishiyama has become the first female professional shogi player after defending her Hakurei title against Kana Fukuma. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/tomoka-nishiyama-becomes-first-female-professional-shogi-player ### 2026-09-12: Tomoka Nishiyama wins second game in Hakurei-sen series Tomoka Nishiyama won the third game of the Hakurei-sen series against Kana Fukuma, leading 2-1 in her pursuit of a fifth title to qualify for professional Shogi player status. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/tomoka-nishiyama-wins-second-game-in-hakurei-sen-series --- Cite as: Tomoka Nishiyama to become first female professional Shogi k. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/tomoka-nishiyama-hakurei-sen-title-match