The 19th Asahi Cup Shogi Open finals and semifinals are scheduled to take place in Takatsuki City, Osaka Prefecture, at the Takatsuki Castle Park Arts and Culture Theater on the 11th. This year’s event is notable as it will be the first time the finals and semifinals have been held outside of Tokyo. The competition is co-organized by the Asahi Shimbun and other local partners, with sponsorship from various corporations. The new Kansai Shogi Hall is set to open in 2024, further embedding Takatsuki’s reputation as a city of Shogi.

In the semifinals, current champion Sota Fujii, holding six titles including Ryuo, will face 9-dan player Yoshiharu Habu, while 2-dan player Takumi Ito will compete against 7-dan Kenji Abe. The matches are part of a public event with a time limit of 40 minutes for each player, followed by a rapid-play format if time runs out. This is expected to provide an exciting viewing experience for fans watching the games live or through the YouTube broadcast.

Following a pre-competition gathering at a local hotel, Fujii expressed his relief at reaching this stage of the competition, highlighting his challenging first round. He emphasized the importance of concentration and commitment in the upcoming games and expressed his desire to entertain the audience with high-quality Shogi. The event is generating considerable interest in the Shogi community and is set to attract both local spectators and Shogi enthusiasts from across the country.