is a Japanese women's professional shogi player ranked 7- dan. In May 2017, Shimizu became the first woman to be elected as an executive director to the

Japan Shogi Association The , or JSA, is the primary organizing body for professional shogi in Japan. The JSA sets the professional calendar, negotiates sponsorship and media promotion deals, helps organize tournaments and title matches, publishes shogi-related materia ...

board of directors A board of directors is a governing body that supervises the activities of a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government agency. The powers, duties, and responsibilities of a board of directors are determined by government regulatio ...

. In June 2025, she became the first woman to be elected the association's president.

Early life and apprentice women's shogi professional

Shimizu was born on January 9, 1969, in

Higashimurayama, Tokyo is a city located in the western portion of the Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 148,275, and a population density of 8700 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Geography Higashimurayama is located ...

. In 1983, she won the 15th Amateur Women's Meijin Tournament while she was a junior high school student. That same year, she entered the Japan Shogi Association's Women's Professional Apprentice League under the guidance of shogi professional . She achieved the rank of women's professional 2-

kyū is a Japanese language, Japanese term used in modern martial arts as well as in Japanese tea ceremony, tea ceremony, ikebana, flower arranging, Go (game), Go, shogi, academic tests and other similar activities to designate various grades, leve ...

in April 1985, thus becoming the first apprentice to graduate from the Women's Professional Apprentice League system.

Women's shogi professional

In October 2000, Shimizu became the first women's professional to be promoted to the rank of women's 6-dan. In November 2016, Shimizu defeated Tomomi Kai in a women's meijin league game to become the second women's professional to win 600 official games. , Shimizu's career record versus male professionals in official games is 29 wins and 156 losses.

Promotion history

Shimizu has been promoted as follows. * 2-

: April 1, 1985 * 1-dan: January 17, 1986 * 2-dan: September 21, 1987 * 3-dan: February 8, 1988 * 4-dan: April 1, 1992 * 5-dan: April 1, 1995 * 6-dan: October 1, 2000 * 7-dan: April 1, 2020 Note: All ranks are women's professional ranks.

Titles and other championships

Shimizu has appeared in major title matches a total of 70 times and has won a total of 43 titles. She has won the Women's Meijin title ten times, the title nine times, the title fourteen times and the ten times. She has been awarded the lifetime titles of Queen Meijin, , and . In addition to major titles, Shimizu has won 11 other shogi championships.

Major titles

Other championships

Note: Tournaments marked with an asterisk (*) are no longer held or currently suspended.

Awards and honors

Shimizu has received a number of Japan Shogi Association

Annual Shogi Awards The Annual Shogi Awards (将棋大賞 ''shōgi taishō'') are a number of prizes awarded yearly by the Japan Shogi Association to professional and amateur shogi players who have achieved particular success. The first Annual Shogi Awards were pre ...

and other awards in recognition of her accomplishments in shogi and contributions made to Japanese society.

Annual Shogi Awards

*15th Annual Awards (April 1987March 1988): Women's Professional Award *19th Annual Awards (April 1991March 1992): Women's Professional Award *21st Annual Awards (April 1993March 1994): Women's Professional Award *22nd Annual Awards (April 1994March 1995): Women's Professional Award *23rd Annual Awards (April 1995March 1996): Women's Professional Award *24th Annual Awards (April 1996March 1997): Women's Professional Award, Special Award *25th Annual Awards (April 1997March 1998): Women's Professional Award *26th Annual Awards (April 1998March 1999): Women's Professional Award *28th Annual Awards (April 2000 — March 2001): Women's Professional of the Year *29th Annual Awards (April 2001 — March 2002): Women's Professional Award *31st Annual Awards (April 2003 — March 2004): Women's Professional of the Year *32nd Annual Awards (April 2004 — March 2005): Women's Professional of the Year *35th Annual Awards (April 2007 — March 2008): Women's Professional of the Year *36th Annual Awards (April 2008 — March 2009): Women's Professional of the Year *37th Annual Awards (April 2009 — March 2010): Women's Professional of the Year *38th Annual Awards (April 2010 — March 2011): Women's Professional Most Games Played *39th Annual Awards (April 2011 — March 2012): Women's Professional Award, Women's Professional Most Games Played *42nd Annual Awards (April 2014 — March 2015): Women's Professional Most Games Played

Other awards

*1996, June:

Minister of Education An education minister (sometimes minister of education) is a position in the governments of some countries responsible for dealing with educational matters. Where known, the government department, ministry, or agency that develops policy and deli ...

Award *1997, February: Tokyo Resident Culture Honor Award (Awarded by the

Governor of Tokyo The is the head of government of Tokyo. In 1943, upon the unification of Tokyo City and Tokyo Prefecture (1868–1943), Tokyo Prefecture into Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the position of Governor was created. Previously, the prefecture had a ...

in recognition of cultural achievements by a Tokyoite) *2000, November:

Resident Honor Award *2008, August:

Kurashiki is a city located in Okayama Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 478,651 and a population density of 1300 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Geography Kurashiki is located in the south-central part of Okay ...

Shogi Culture Honor Award *2009: 25 Years Service Award (Awarded by the JSA in recognition of being an active professional for twenty-five years)

JSA executive

In May 2017, Shimizu became the first women to be elected as an executive director to the

. She was re-elected to additional two-year terms in June 2019, June 2021 and June 2023. On June 6, 2025, Shimizu became the first woman elected president of the association.

References

External links

* ShogiHub
Professional Player Info · Shimizu, Ichiyo
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shimizu, Ichiyo 1969 births Japanese shogi players Japan Shogi Association players Living people Female shogi players People from Higashimurayama, Tokyo Shogi players from Tokyo Metropolis Women's Meijin Women's Ōshō Women's Ōi Kurashiki Tōka Cup