Ōza (王座) is one of the eight titles in Japanese professional shogi.
The word literally means "king's seat", i.e., " throne". The tournament started in 1953 as a knockout tournament with three games in the final match and was a non-title tournament up until 1982. [1] The challenger for the title is determined through three preliminary rounds. The player that wins three games out of five in the championship match becomes the new Ōza title holder. [2]
The tournament is sponsored by Nikkei, Inc. (日本経済新聞社 nihon keizai shinbunsha), a newspaper conglomerate that publishes The Nikkei and the Nikkei 225 stock market index. The current Ōza title holder is Sōta Fujii.
"Lifetime Ōza" (名誉王座) is the title given to a player who won the championship five times in a row or ten times in total. Active players may qualify for this title, but it is only officially awarded upon their reaching the age of 60 years, retirement or death. [3]
From 1953 until 1982, the tournament was just regular tournament and not a major title match. From 1953 to 1969, two finalists would play a 3-game match to determine the overall winner; the 1st Oza match (1953), however, was only a single game. From 1970 to 1982, the winner of the previous year's tournament would play the winner of a qualifying tournament in a 3-game match. [6]
No. | Year | Winner | Score | Opponent |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1953 | Yasuharu Ōyama | 1–0 | Yūzō Maruta |
2 | 1954 | Yasuharu Ōyama | 2–1 | Kōzō Masuda |
3 | 1955 | Yasuharu Ōyama | 2–1 | Renshō Nada |
4 | 1956 | Seiichi Kobori | 2–1 | Kazukiyo Takashima |
5 | 1957 | Shigeyuki Matsuda | 2–1 | Seiichi Kobori |
6 | 1958 | Masao Tsukada | 2–1 | Tatsuya Futakami |
7 | 1959 | Yasuharu Ōyama | 2–0 | Michiyoshi Yamada |
8 | 1960 | Yūzō Maruta | 2–1 | Yasuharu Ōyama |
9 | 1961 | Sōetsu Honma | 2–0 | Hifumi Katō |
10 | 1962 | Hifumi Katō | 2–0 | Michihito Kumagai |
11 | 1963 | Renshō Nada | 2–1 | Hirobumi Sekizawa |
12 | 1964 | Yasuharu Ōyama | 2–0 | Hifumi Katō |
13 | 1965 | Yūzō Maruta | 2–0 | Kunio Naitō |
14 | 1966 | Yasuharu Ōyama | 2–0 | Yūzō Maruta |
15 | 1967 | Michiyoshi Yamada | 2–0 | Kunio Naitō |
16 | 1968 | Yasuharu Ōyama | 2–0 | Hifumi Katō |
17 | 1969 | Makoto Nakahara | 2–1 | Michio Ariyoshi |
18 | 1970 | Makoto Nakahara | 2–0 | Tatsuya Futakami |
19 | 1971 | Makoto Nakahara | 2–0 | Hifumi Katō |
20 | 1972 | Makoto Nakahara | 2–0 | Kunio Naitō |
21 | 1973 | Makoto Nakahara | 2–0 | Genichi Ōno |
22 | 1974 | Makoto Nakahara | 2–1 | Yasuharu Ōyama |
23 | 1975 | Kiyozumi Kiriyama | 2–0 | Makoto Nakahara |
24 | 1976 | Makoto Nakahara | 2–0 | Kiyozumi Kiriyama |
25 | 1977 | Makoto Nakahara | 2–0 | Nobuyuki Ōuchi |
26 | 1978 | Makoto Nakahara | 2–0 | Nobuyuki Ōuchi |
27 | 1979 | Makoto Nakahara | 2–0 | Nobuyuki Ōuchi |
28 | 1980 | Yasuharu Ōyama | 2–0 | Makoto Nakahara |
29 | 1981 | Yasuharu Ōyama | 2–1 | Osamu Katsuura |
30 | 1982 | Kunio Naitō | 2–0 | Yasuharu Ōyama |
For the 31st Oza Match (1983), the tournament was officially elevated to major title match status and starting with the 32nd Oza Match, the format switched to a best-of-five.
No. | Year | Winner | Score | Opponent |
---|---|---|---|---|
31 | 1983 | Makoto Nakahara | 2–1 | Kunio Naitō |
32 | 1984 | Makoto Nakahara (2) | 3–2 | Hidemitsu Moriyasu |
33 | 1985 | Makoto Nakahara (3) | 3–1 | Kōji Tanigawa |
34 | 1986 | Makoto Nakahara (4) | 3–0 | Kiyozumi Kiriyama |
35 | 1987 | Yasuaki Tsukada | 3–2 | Makoto Nakahara |
36 | 1988 | Makoto Nakahara (5) | 3–0 | Yasuaki Tsukada |
37 | 1989 | Makoto Nakahara (6) | 3–2 | Teruichi Aono |
38 | 1990 | Kōji Tanigawa | 3–1 | Makoto Nakahara |
39 | 1991 | Bungo Fukusaki | 3–2 | Kōji Tanigawa |
40 | 1992 | Yoshiharu Habu | 3–0 | Bungo Fukusaki |
41 | 1993 | Yoshiharu Habu (2) | 3–1 | Koji Tanigawa |
42 | 1994 | Yoshiharu Habu (3) | 3–0 | Kōji Tanigawa |
43 | 1995 | Yoshiharu Habu (4) | 3–0 | Keiji Mori |
44 | 1996 | Yoshiharu Habu (5) | 3–0 | Akira Shima |
45 | 1997 | Yoshiharu Habu (6) | 3–0 | Akira Shima |
46 | 1998 | Yoshiharu Habu (7) | 3–2 | Kōji Tanigawa |
47 | 1999 | Yoshiharu Habu (8) | 3–1 | Tadahisa Maruyama |
48 | 2000 | Yoshiharu Habu (9) | 3–2 | Takeshi Fujii |
49 | 2001 | Yoshiharu Habu (10) | 3–1 | Toshiaki Kubo |
50 | 2002 | Yoshiharu Habu (11) | 3–0 | Yasumitsu Satō |
51 | 2003 | Yoshiharu Habu (12) | 3–2 | Akira Watanabe |
52 | 2004 | Yoshiharu Habu (13) | 3–1 | Toshiyuki Moriuchi |
53 | 2005 | Yoshiharu Habu (14) | 3–0 | Yasumitsu Satō |
54 | 2006 | Yoshiharu Habu (15) | 3–0 | Yasumitsu Satō |
55 | 2007 | Yoshiharu Habu (16) | 3–0 | Toshiaki Kubo |
56 | 2008 | Yoshiharu Habu (17) | 3–0 | Kazuki Kimura |
57 | 2009 | Yoshiharu Habu (18) | 3–0 | Takayuki Yamasaki |
58 | 2010 | Yoshiharu Habu (19) | 3–0 | Takeshi Fujii |
59 | 2011 | Akira Watanabe | 3–0 | Yoshiharu Habu |
60 | 2012 | Yoshiharu Habu (20) | 3–1 | Akira Watanabe |
61 | 2013 | Yoshiharu Habu (21) | 3–2 [7] | Taichi Nakamura |
62 | 2014 | Yoshiharu Habu (22) | 3–2 [8] | Masayuki Toyoshima |
63 | 2015 | Yoshiharu Habu (23) | 3–2 [9] | Amahiko Satō |
64 | 2016 | Yoshiharu Habu (24) | 3–0 [10] | Tetsuro Itodani |
65 | 2017 | Taichi Nakamura | 3–1 [11] | Yoshiharu Habu |
66 | 2018 | Shintarō Saitō | 3–2 [12] | Taichi Nakamura |
67 | 2019 | Takuya Nagase | 3–0 [13] | Shintarō Saitō |
68 | 2020 | Takuya Nagase (2) | 3–2 [14] | Toshiaki Kubo |
69 | 2021 | Takuya Nagase (3) | 3–1 [15] | Kazuki Kimura |
70 | 2022 | Takuya Nagase (4) | 3–1 [16] | Masayuki Toyoshima |
71 | 2023 | Sōta Fujii | 3–1 [17] | Takuya Nagase |
Ōza (王座) is one of the eight titles in Japanese professional shogi.
The word literally means "king's seat", i.e., " throne". The tournament started in 1953 as a knockout tournament with three games in the final match and was a non-title tournament up until 1982. [1] The challenger for the title is determined through three preliminary rounds. The player that wins three games out of five in the championship match becomes the new Ōza title holder. [2]
The tournament is sponsored by Nikkei, Inc. (日本経済新聞社 nihon keizai shinbunsha), a newspaper conglomerate that publishes The Nikkei and the Nikkei 225 stock market index. The current Ōza title holder is Sōta Fujii.
"Lifetime Ōza" (名誉王座) is the title given to a player who won the championship five times in a row or ten times in total. Active players may qualify for this title, but it is only officially awarded upon their reaching the age of 60 years, retirement or death. [3]
From 1953 until 1982, the tournament was just regular tournament and not a major title match. From 1953 to 1969, two finalists would play a 3-game match to determine the overall winner; the 1st Oza match (1953), however, was only a single game. From 1970 to 1982, the winner of the previous year's tournament would play the winner of a qualifying tournament in a 3-game match. [6]
No. | Year | Winner | Score | Opponent |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1953 | Yasuharu Ōyama | 1–0 | Yūzō Maruta |
2 | 1954 | Yasuharu Ōyama | 2–1 | Kōzō Masuda |
3 | 1955 | Yasuharu Ōyama | 2–1 | Renshō Nada |
4 | 1956 | Seiichi Kobori | 2–1 | Kazukiyo Takashima |
5 | 1957 | Shigeyuki Matsuda | 2–1 | Seiichi Kobori |
6 | 1958 | Masao Tsukada | 2–1 | Tatsuya Futakami |
7 | 1959 | Yasuharu Ōyama | 2–0 | Michiyoshi Yamada |
8 | 1960 | Yūzō Maruta | 2–1 | Yasuharu Ōyama |
9 | 1961 | Sōetsu Honma | 2–0 | Hifumi Katō |
10 | 1962 | Hifumi Katō | 2–0 | Michihito Kumagai |
11 | 1963 | Renshō Nada | 2–1 | Hirobumi Sekizawa |
12 | 1964 | Yasuharu Ōyama | 2–0 | Hifumi Katō |
13 | 1965 | Yūzō Maruta | 2–0 | Kunio Naitō |
14 | 1966 | Yasuharu Ōyama | 2–0 | Yūzō Maruta |
15 | 1967 | Michiyoshi Yamada | 2–0 | Kunio Naitō |
16 | 1968 | Yasuharu Ōyama | 2–0 | Hifumi Katō |
17 | 1969 | Makoto Nakahara | 2–1 | Michio Ariyoshi |
18 | 1970 | Makoto Nakahara | 2–0 | Tatsuya Futakami |
19 | 1971 | Makoto Nakahara | 2–0 | Hifumi Katō |
20 | 1972 | Makoto Nakahara | 2–0 | Kunio Naitō |
21 | 1973 | Makoto Nakahara | 2–0 | Genichi Ōno |
22 | 1974 | Makoto Nakahara | 2–1 | Yasuharu Ōyama |
23 | 1975 | Kiyozumi Kiriyama | 2–0 | Makoto Nakahara |
24 | 1976 | Makoto Nakahara | 2–0 | Kiyozumi Kiriyama |
25 | 1977 | Makoto Nakahara | 2–0 | Nobuyuki Ōuchi |
26 | 1978 | Makoto Nakahara | 2–0 | Nobuyuki Ōuchi |
27 | 1979 | Makoto Nakahara | 2–0 | Nobuyuki Ōuchi |
28 | 1980 | Yasuharu Ōyama | 2–0 | Makoto Nakahara |
29 | 1981 | Yasuharu Ōyama | 2–1 | Osamu Katsuura |
30 | 1982 | Kunio Naitō | 2–0 | Yasuharu Ōyama |
For the 31st Oza Match (1983), the tournament was officially elevated to major title match status and starting with the 32nd Oza Match, the format switched to a best-of-five.
No. | Year | Winner | Score | Opponent |
---|---|---|---|---|
31 | 1983 | Makoto Nakahara | 2–1 | Kunio Naitō |
32 | 1984 | Makoto Nakahara (2) | 3–2 | Hidemitsu Moriyasu |
33 | 1985 | Makoto Nakahara (3) | 3–1 | Kōji Tanigawa |
34 | 1986 | Makoto Nakahara (4) | 3–0 | Kiyozumi Kiriyama |
35 | 1987 | Yasuaki Tsukada | 3–2 | Makoto Nakahara |
36 | 1988 | Makoto Nakahara (5) | 3–0 | Yasuaki Tsukada |
37 | 1989 | Makoto Nakahara (6) | 3–2 | Teruichi Aono |
38 | 1990 | Kōji Tanigawa | 3–1 | Makoto Nakahara |
39 | 1991 | Bungo Fukusaki | 3–2 | Kōji Tanigawa |
40 | 1992 | Yoshiharu Habu | 3–0 | Bungo Fukusaki |
41 | 1993 | Yoshiharu Habu (2) | 3–1 | Koji Tanigawa |
42 | 1994 | Yoshiharu Habu (3) | 3–0 | Kōji Tanigawa |
43 | 1995 | Yoshiharu Habu (4) | 3–0 | Keiji Mori |
44 | 1996 | Yoshiharu Habu (5) | 3–0 | Akira Shima |
45 | 1997 | Yoshiharu Habu (6) | 3–0 | Akira Shima |
46 | 1998 | Yoshiharu Habu (7) | 3–2 | Kōji Tanigawa |
47 | 1999 | Yoshiharu Habu (8) | 3–1 | Tadahisa Maruyama |
48 | 2000 | Yoshiharu Habu (9) | 3–2 | Takeshi Fujii |
49 | 2001 | Yoshiharu Habu (10) | 3–1 | Toshiaki Kubo |
50 | 2002 | Yoshiharu Habu (11) | 3–0 | Yasumitsu Satō |
51 | 2003 | Yoshiharu Habu (12) | 3–2 | Akira Watanabe |
52 | 2004 | Yoshiharu Habu (13) | 3–1 | Toshiyuki Moriuchi |
53 | 2005 | Yoshiharu Habu (14) | 3–0 | Yasumitsu Satō |
54 | 2006 | Yoshiharu Habu (15) | 3–0 | Yasumitsu Satō |
55 | 2007 | Yoshiharu Habu (16) | 3–0 | Toshiaki Kubo |
56 | 2008 | Yoshiharu Habu (17) | 3–0 | Kazuki Kimura |
57 | 2009 | Yoshiharu Habu (18) | 3–0 | Takayuki Yamasaki |
58 | 2010 | Yoshiharu Habu (19) | 3–0 | Takeshi Fujii |
59 | 2011 | Akira Watanabe | 3–0 | Yoshiharu Habu |
60 | 2012 | Yoshiharu Habu (20) | 3–1 | Akira Watanabe |
61 | 2013 | Yoshiharu Habu (21) | 3–2 [7] | Taichi Nakamura |
62 | 2014 | Yoshiharu Habu (22) | 3–2 [8] | Masayuki Toyoshima |
63 | 2015 | Yoshiharu Habu (23) | 3–2 [9] | Amahiko Satō |
64 | 2016 | Yoshiharu Habu (24) | 3–0 [10] | Tetsuro Itodani |
65 | 2017 | Taichi Nakamura | 3–1 [11] | Yoshiharu Habu |
66 | 2018 | Shintarō Saitō | 3–2 [12] | Taichi Nakamura |
67 | 2019 | Takuya Nagase | 3–0 [13] | Shintarō Saitō |
68 | 2020 | Takuya Nagase (2) | 3–2 [14] | Toshiaki Kubo |
69 | 2021 | Takuya Nagase (3) | 3–1 [15] | Kazuki Kimura |
70 | 2022 | Takuya Nagase (4) | 3–1 [16] | Masayuki Toyoshima |
71 | 2023 | Sōta Fujii | 3–1 [17] | Takuya Nagase |