Kiyozumi Kiriyama


Kiyozumi Kiriyama is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 9-dan. He is a former Kisei and Kiō major title holder as well as a former director of the Japan Shogi Association., Kiriyama is the oldest active professional shogi player.

Early life

Kiriyama was born on October 17, 1947, in Shimoichi, Nara. He learned how to play shogi when he was about fiver years old, and as a young boy played some instructional games against Kōzō Masuda during Masuda's frequent visits to the Nara area. In 1957 when he was nine years old, Kiriyama moved to Tokyo to study shogi under Masuda as an uchi-deshi, but became homesick and returned back home after only few months.
Kiriyama never lost his passion for shogi, however, and the following year he entered the Kansai branch of the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school at the rank of 7-kyū under the guidance of shogi professional. He was promoted to the rank of 1-dan in 1963,and obtained full professional status and the rank of 4-dan in April 1966.

JSA director

Kiriyama served on the Japan Shogi Association's board of directors as a director from 1976 until 1978.

Promotion history

Kiriyama's promotion history is as follows:
Kiriyama has appeared in major title matches a total of ten times and has won four titles. In addition to major titles, he has won seven other shogi championships during his career.

Major titles

Other championships

Note: Tournaments marked with an asterisk are no longer held.

Awards and honors

Kiriyama has received numerous awards and honors throughout his career for his accomplishments in both on an off the shogi board. These include the Annual Shogi Awards given out by the JSA for performance in official games and other awards given out by governmental organizations, etc. for contributions made to Japanese society.

Annual shogi awards