Issei Takazaki


Issei Takazaki is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 6-dan.

Early life

Issei Takazaki was born in Nichinan, Miyazaki on February 12, 1987. As a sixth-grade student at, he defeated Kōhei Funae to win the 23rd in 1998, and he was accepted into the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school in September of that same year under the guidance of professional shogi player Kunio Yonenaga. At the beginning of his shogi apprenticeship, Takazaki commuted from his hometown alone by plane to the :Japan Shogi Association#Headquarters and other offices|Japan Shogi Association's headquarters in Tokyo alone by plane to participate in the regularly scheduled meetings and games, but also stayed at Yonenaga's home as a live-in apprentice for a period of time.
Takazaki was promoted to 1-dan in April 2000 and then to 3-dan in 2002. He obtained full professional status and corresponding rank of 4-dan in October 2005 after finishing tied for first in the 37th 3-dan league with a record of 13 wins and 5 losses, thus becoming the first person from Miyazaki Prefecture to become a professional shogi player.

Promotion history

Takazaki's promotion history is as follows: