Kana Satomi, a female shogi player.
The total number of female titles won is the highest in history.
She has been at the top of the female shogi world for over 10 years.
However, in pursuit of her strength, she got sick and sometimes left the game.
It is said that it was during her hard time that Satomi changed the way she approached shogi.
(Interviewer / Interview: Takumi Sawada Announcer, Matsue Bureau)
Tsume shogi promised to the person you admire
Kana Satomi from Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture.
She started playing shogi when she was 6 years old.
She was curious to see her father and her brother pointing to shogi.
(Satomi)
At that time, there were almost no girls playing shogi, and I sometimes pointed to shogi against adults, so the only thing that could beat adults was shogi, so I enjoyed playing shogi in that kind of place. I think I felt that.
She didn't like to lose, so I was very disappointed when she lost, and I was very happy when she won. I think that simple thing was the reason for me to continue.
Satomi-san, who has the personality of "I hate to lose" more than anyone else, is absorbed in shogi.
There was another reason she improved so much.
At the age of eight, she was a professional she met at a shogi event in Izumo.
Mr. Satomi asked top players such as Yoshiharu Habu and Koji Tanigawa how she could become stronger.
One of them is this one.
At that time, Mr. Kazu Takahashi, who was a female star shogi player.
It was the existence that Mr. Satomi respected and aimed at.
(Takahashi)
Small Kana-chan was asking various professional shogi players, "How can I make shogi stronger?"
Come to me with all this.
So I answered, "I'll ask you three questions every day, so please solve the tsume shogi."
When I asked "Can I do it?", I said "I can do it. I can do it" with straight eyes.
When I said, "Well, let's cut your fingers," he continued as it was.
(Sawada)
It seems that you continued to play Tsume Shogi during your school trip.
I think it's difficult to continue every day, but why did you continue?
(Satomi)
At that time, Mr. Kazu Takahashi, who was very shy and answered the words that he really had the courage to say, looked very glittering.
It's cool.
I think that the fact that I was trying to keep my promise with such a longing teacher was the reason why I became more and more fond of shogi.
(Takahashi)
I don't think it's easy to keep your promise.
There aren't really many 3 subjects a day, but I did it every day, so about half a year later, I received a postcard written in pencil.
I wonder if I write a postcard saying "I play tsume shogi every day. Where and where I won the tournament" about once every six months.
Please send it every time.
Every time I saw it, I said, "Oh, I'm getting stronger and stronger," and at the same time, I was very happy that he continued what he promised by cutting his finger, which was a really small opportunity. Hey.
(Sawada)
Do you remember the letter you sent to Mr. Takahashi?
(Satomi)
That's right.
I think I just wanted to connect (laughs).
I also got a reply.
(Takahashi)
At that time, the Internet was not so widespread, and being in a rural area was a bit of a disadvantage.
Also, the number of girls pointing to shogi was small, and I thought it would be really difficult to work hard in such a situation.
I think it was her strong will and effort that continued in that process.
I really admire him for being a top player and aiming to be a top player with his passion from a young age, and I want him to make his life enjoyable and brilliant. I think it's a big deal.
(Satomi)
Thank you.
I just wanted to be strong
Mr. Satomi kept his promise with Mr. Takahashi and continued to play Tsume Shogi.
She made her professional debut as a female shogi player in the first year of junior high school, and when she was 16, she won the right to challenge the female title match, Fujihana Kurashiki.
She won her first title by making full use of her characteristic fast and sharp attack like lightning.
When she was 18, she was the youngest to achieve a female triple crown.
Satomi, who broke her records one after another, made a big decision when she graduated from high school.
That is, she will be the first female “professional shogi player”.
"Professional shogi players" are completely distinguished from "female shogi players" who fight only with women.
So far, they are all men and no women.
To become a professional shogi player, she must join an incentive party, play games, and win.
After graduating from her high school, Satomi leaves her hometown of Izumo and joins an incentive party in Osaka alone.
(Sawada)
How did she feel when she decided to become a professional shogi player?
(Satomi)
When I was in elementary school, all the boys I met at the national convention were in the encouragement party, and I had a feeling that I wanted to join, but I've been a female shogi player for a long time.
It was the last chance for 19-year-olds to join due to age restrictions.
(Sawada)
At that time, Mr. Satomi was already a star in the female shogi world, or was already active on the front lines, and honestly, it's pretty tough for her to go on to become a professional shogi player from there.
(Satomi)
I agree.
I had the title of a female shogi player, but when the encouragement member pointed to shogi, I couldn't win, so the regret that I couldn't win was born there again, and I wanted to be stronger and win. I started to think like that, and I had no other goals, so I decided to make myself want to become a professional shogi player.
Thick wall that did not tear
An incentive party where fierce people from all over the country gather.
There was a tough battle awaiting him to be promoted to 4th dan and become a professional shogi player by the age of 26.
At the age of 21, Satomi was the first female to be promoted to the third dan, one step before a professional shogi player.
She was the first female shogi player to win the five crowns in her history.
The birth of her first female professional shogi player raised public expectations.
(Sawada)
It was more difficult than I had imagined to balance the activities of the encouragement society and the activities of the female shogi player, wasn't it?
(Satomi)
Rather, she didn't win easily after joining the incentive party, so that was a pain.
There was also an age part, so I felt like I was rushing to get up early.
If you can't win as you think, even if you're studying, it won't immediately lead to results, so it was quite difficult to maintain that energy to be more enthusiastic at such times.
(Sawada)
Did you have any pressure?
(Satomi)
It's a fight against myself, so I was more careful not to lose to my sweetness every day than the evaluation around her.
(Sawada)
Do you mean fighting with yourself rather than with your opponent?
(Satomi)
Well, studying is the first priority, so studying gives me confidence.
So, of course, it's easy to escape in the direction of not studying, but instead, I was trying to push myself in a difficult direction and how I could do it when I was losing.
(Sawada)
Did you spend all your time on stoicism?
(Satomi)
That's right.
I tried not to do anything other than shogi.
I tried to devote myself to shogi as much as possible except for the minimum necessary meals, bathing, and so on.
However, it was natural that one day one day would switch between confident days and non-confident days, and after a few hours, I would lose confidence.
Then, Satomi got sick and decided to leave the game of shogi.
The following year, he managed to return.
However, even after that, he was unable to advance to the 4th dan and left the incentive party due to age restrictions.
(Sawada)
How did you feel at that time?
(Satomi)
The family is the one who kindly accompanies me near the loser and knows something about my weakest part, and when I return to Izumo, I prepare an environment where I can relax very warmly. But I didn't feel like contacting such a family right away.
I was thinking about what I had done, and spending time thinking alone.
However, I was told that he was very worried, and I felt the gratitude of my family.
I want to point to a unique shogi
Mr. Satomi, who has withdrawn from the encouragement party, will be more active than ever as a female shogi player.
In 2019, she achieved the unprecedented female-style six crowns.
She monopolized six of the seven titles at the time.
And last year, she won the total number of female titles and ranked first in history.
The march is continuing.
(Sawada)
Why did she win after she was withdrawn from the incentive party?
(Satomi)
There were some shogi that won in reverse, so I was fortunate in some parts, but there was also a part where her shoulders were a little weak.
I think it's because I realized that I like shogi again and now I think it's a little fun.
(Sawada)
Did you feel that there was something that seemed to be blown out?
(Satomi)
It's quite difficult to get rid of it, though.
It was a place where only the result was required, but now it is a world of competition, but now I feel that I want to point to shogi while showing my individuality, so I have a little freedom. There may be a part that has spread.
(Sawada)
Has the way of pointing shogi changed?
(Satomi)
Well, I want to put together as many natural hands as possible, but I also want to bring out the individuality while incorporating the competitive elements.
It's a little difficult, though.
Now, AI is getting stronger very rapidly, and it has become something that human beings can't do anymore, but it's so easy to study, and it's a completely different study method than when I was at the encouragement party. I'm doing it.
That's why it's an era when it's difficult to show individuality, but in that era, I think it's best to show individuality and point to a shogi with a human touch.
I want to be able to understand that "I am the one who records the game record (= the record of the game record)", so I want to show that much individuality, and I want to become stronger while also showing that kind of individuality. Is ideal, so I have a feeling that I want to point to a shogi that can only be pointed to by myself, rather than using someone as a model.
(Sawada)
Where is the depth of shogi that Mr. Satomi thinks about?
(Satomi)
The depth of shogi is immeasurable.
I don't know yet.
As I point to it, I always feel that there was such a line or that there was such a change, so I would like to see it on the contrary.
(Sawada)
What exactly does it mean to make shogi stronger?
(Satomi)
That's right.
Hmm ... I don't really think that I can point to shogi with confidence and then win that way, but at that time, I'm very confident and I feel that I'm getting stronger. That's right.
I haven't met yet, so at that moment.
That's the ideal.