Makoto Nakahara

1.1. Birth and Upbringing

Makoto Nakahara was born on September 2, 1947, in Miyamochi, Shikanocho, Ketaka District, Tottori Prefecture, which was then Katsumi Village (later merged into Shikanocho, now Tottori City). However, just one month after his birth, his family relocated to Shiogama, Miyagi Prefecture, which he considers his true hometown.

1.2. Education and Shogi Introduction

Nakahara's formal education was balanced with an intense immersion into shogi from a young age. He received his initial detailed shogi instruction from Shōjirō Sagai in Shiogama, starting with 6-piece handicap games. Later, he was guided by Takeshi Ishikawa in Sendai. Through Ishikawa's introduction, Nakahara had the opportunity to play against notable professional players such as Toyoichi Igarashi and Yasuo Harada in 1956, and also competed against several non-professional high-stakes players, honing his skills.

In late September 1957, at the age of 10, Nakahara moved to Tokyo. There, he entered the tutelage of Toshio Takayanagi. In April 1958, he officially joined the Shōreikai (the professional apprentice league) as a 6-kyu. He rapidly advanced, reaching 1-dan at the age of 13 while in his second year of junior high school, a feat also achieved by later prodigies like Koji Tanigawa and Yoshiharu Habu. During his 3-dan period, he became a member of the Yamada Research Group, led by Michiyoshi Yamada, which included other notable players like Shigeru Sekine, Yukio Miyasaka, and Mikio Tomizawa, and also joined the Serizawa Research Group led by his senior disciple, Hirofumi Serizawa.

Despite his promising talent, Nakahara faced a significant challenge in overcoming the "wall from 3-dan to 4-dan" (the Shōreikai A-group, now the 3-dan League). He spent six terms, or three years, stalled at 3-dan, which he described as a period of personal struggle, partly due to the difficulty of balancing shogi with his studies at Nihon University Sakuragaoka High School.

2.1. Debut and Early Success

In the autumn of 1965, at the age of 18, Makoto Nakahara officially became a professional shogi player (4-dan) after defeating Kiyozumi Kiriyama in the East-West deciding match. His transition to professional status was remarkably swift; he achieved consecutive promotions and class advancements in the Jun'i-sen for four straight years, reaching the prestigious A-class 8-dan in the shortest time possible.

His first attempt at a major title came in the late 1967 fiscal year, during the 11th Kisei title match. He challenged Michiyoshi Yamada, who had been his mentor in the Yamada Research Group, and although he lost in a full-set series, this marked him as one of the youngest title challengers in history, closely following Hifumi Katō's record. Just half a year later, in the early 1968 fiscal year, Nakahara again challenged Yamada in the 12th Kisei match. He fought through a strong field of opponents, including Kōzō Masuda and Tatsuya Futakami, and defeated Yamada 3-1 to win his first title, the Kisei. At 20 years old, he became the youngest player to win a major title, breaking Yasuharu Ōyama's previous record of 27. He successfully defended the Kisei title twice against Ōyama and Yamada, achieving three consecutive Kisei reigns. However, he lost the Kisei title and became untitled after being defeated by Kunio Naito in his third defense.

2.2. Rise to Dominance (1970s-1980s)

The 1970s marked Nakahara's ascendance to the pinnacle of the shogi world, challenging and ultimately surpassing Yasuharu Ōyama's long-standing dominance. In the 1970 fiscal year, Nakahara defeated Ōyama 4-2 in the Jūdan title match, breaking Ōyama's grip on five titles. Immediately after, he swept Ōyama 3-0 in the subsequent 17th Kisei title match, achieving his first two-crown status. Following this, in the early 1971 18th Kisei title match, he successfully defended his title against Ōyama with a 3-1 victory. This win earned him the qualification for "Lifetime Kisei" at the age of 23 years and 10 months, making him the youngest player to acquire a lifetime title qualification at that time (a record later surpassed by Sota Fujii). The period saw a clear two-player era, with Nakahara and Ōyama holding all the major titles between them.

In the 1971 fiscal year, during his second year in A-class, Nakahara made history in the 26th Jun'i-sen by achieving a perfect 8-0 record, the first A-class player ever to do so, earning him the right to challenge for the Meijin title. In 1972, he faced Ōyama again in the 31st Meijin title match. After a grueling full-set match, Nakahara emerged victorious with a 4-3 score, capturing the Meijin title and becoming the undisputed leader of the shogi world. This victory also made him a three-crown holder and, crucially, stripped Ōyama of all his titles. Ōyama never managed to reclaim the Meijin title after this defeat, despite challenging Nakahara twice more in 1974 and 1986.

2.3. Rivalries and Transitional Period

From the 1973 fiscal year, Nakahara's primary rivals shifted from the older generation like Ōyama to his contemporaries, notably Kunio Yonenaga, Hifumi Katō, and Kunio Naito. He engaged in numerous intense battles, particularly with Yonenaga, in various title matches.

In 1973, Nakahara secured his first four-crown status by defeating Kunio Naito 4-0 in the 14th Ōi title match. However, he immediately lost the Jūdan title to a resurgent Ōyama. After defending his three remaining titles for a year, Nakahara recaptured the Jūdan title in the 1974 fiscal year, re-establishing himself as a four-crown holder. From the 1974 fiscal year until midway through the 1977 fiscal year, the shogi landscape was dominated by Nakahara as a four-crown (holding Meijin, Jūdan, Ōi, and Ōsho), while Ōyama held the Kisei title. New titles like Kiō, established in 1975, were held by other players. Nakahara consistently faced his generation's rivals in these title defenses. In the 1975 Meijin match against Yasuo Ōuchi (won 4-3 with 1 draw), Nakahara found himself trailing 2-3 and on the brink of defeat. He was saved by a critical blunder from Ōuchi in the seventh game, leading to a draw and allowing Nakahara to mount a come-from-behind victory. The following year, in the 35th Meijin match (1976), he successfully defended against Yonenaga (4-3), achieving five consecutive Meijin titles and earning the qualification for "Lifetime Meijin" (the 16th Meijin).

In the latter half of the 1977 fiscal year, Nakahara recaptured the Kisei title from Ōyama (3-2 in a full-set match), becoming the second player in history, after Ōyama, to achieve five-crown status. With only the Kiō title remaining, he challenged Hifumi Katō in the 3rd Kiō match but was swept 0-3, failing to achieve the Grand Slam of all six existing titles.

Following this period, Nakahara experienced a relative dip in form, coinciding with the peak performances of Yonenaga and Katō. His title match results against them became much closer, leading to a gradual decrease in his total title count. In the 1982 40th Meijin match against Hifumi Katō, which included both draws and sennichite, the series was popularly referred to as a "ten-game match." Nakahara ultimately lost 3-4, relinquishing the Meijin title and ending his impressive nine-year reign.

2.4. Later Career and Retirement

From the mid-1980s, Makoto Nakahara's title matches primarily involved players from the next generation, including Koji Tanigawa and the "55-nen Gumi" (a group of strong players born in 1980) like Michio Takahashi, Osamu Nakamura, Yoshikazu Minami, and Yasuaki Tsukada. During this period, his title holdings fluctuated between three crowns and being untitled.

In the 1985 fiscal year, Nakahara recaptured the Meijin title from Koji Tanigawa (4-2) in the 43rd Meijin match, who had previously become the youngest Meijin in history. The following year, in the 44th Meijin match (1986), Ōyama challenged him for the Meijin title, but Nakahara successfully defended it with a 4-1 victory. This marked their final encounter in a title match.

In the 1987 fiscal year, Nakahara lost the Ōza title to Yasuaki Tsukada (2-3), leaving him with only the Meijin title. The subsequent year (1988), he lost the 46th Meijin title to Tanigawa (2-4), becoming an untitled "former Meijin." However, in the same fiscal year, he recaptured the Ōza title from Tsukada (3-0) and won the Kisei title from his disciple Torao Tanaka (3-2) in the late 53rd Kisei match, regaining his two-crown status.

In the 1990 fiscal year, Nakahara recaptured the Meijin title from Tanigawa (4-2) in the 48th Meijin match, marking his second return to the Meijin position and achieving three crowns. However, he lost the Kisei title to Nobuyuki Yashiki (2-3) in the early 56th Kisei match, allowing Yashiki to set a new record as the youngest title holder. He then lost the Ōza title to Tanigawa (1-3) in the 38th Ōza match, once again holding only the Meijin title.

In the 1992 fiscal year, during the 50th Meijin match, Nakahara faced a challenge from Michio Takahashi. He initially fell behind 1-3 but managed to stage a remarkable comeback, winning three consecutive games to defend his title 4-3. This was the first time in Meijin match history that a player had reversed a 1-3 deficit. Notably, he lost all three games that featured his preferred Yagura formation, which was a subject of much discussion.

In 1993, the 51st Meijin match against Kunio Yonenaga was their sixth Meijin encounter. Nakahara suffered a decisive 0-4 straight-set loss, ceding the Meijin title to Yonenaga, who became the oldest Meijin in history. This loss also meant Nakahara was left without any major titles. In the same year, he challenged Tanigawa for the Ōsho title but was defeated 2-4. This would be Nakahara's final appearance in a major title match.

In 1994, Nakahara won the NHK Cup TV Shogi Tournament, which marked his last official tournament victory. (He also won the non-official Fujitsu Cup Tatsujin-sen four times, including consecutive victories in 2001 and 2002.)

In the 2000 fiscal year, Nakahara's performance in the 58th A-class Jun'i-sen led to his relegation with a 2-7 record. This was the first instance of a Lifetime Meijin title holder being relegated from A-class (a situation later experienced by Koji Tanigawa, Toshiyuki Moriuchi, and Yoshiharu Habu). After playing two terms in B-class 1st group, Nakahara declared his intention to transfer to the Free Class. These moves were unprecedented for a Lifetime Meijin title holder. Despite this, he frequently appeared in the upper ranks of various tournaments, including winning the Ryūō-sen 1st group in 2000, advancing to the Ryūō-sen challenger determination match in 2003, entering the Ōi league in 2004, and reaching the Kisei challenger tournament in 2007.

A notable aspect of Nakahara's career is that he never faced Yoshiharu Habu in a major title match. In the early 1994 fiscal year, he lost the Kisei challenger determination match to Koji Tanigawa, missing the chance to challenge the then-Kisei Habu. In the 53rd Jun'i-sen of the same year, he finished tied for first in A-class with a 7-2 record but lost the playoff to Taku Morishita, missing the opportunity to challenge Habu for the Meijin title. In the 22nd Kiō match of the 1996 fiscal year, he lost to Morishita in the challenger determination two-game match, again failing to challenge Habu for the Kiō title. His defeat to Toshiyuki Moriuchi in the 2003 Ryūō-sen challenger determination three-game match was his final chance to face Habu in a title match. They only met once in a general tournament final, during the 1988 NHK Cup, which Habu won, notably by defeating all four former Meijin title holders in the tournament.

On August 12, 2008, Nakahara experienced a sudden medical emergency during a post-game review after defeating A-class 8-dan Kazuki Kimura in the Ōsho tournament qualifier. He was rushed to the hospital and diagnosed with a cerebral hemorrhage, requiring immediate hospitalization. A leave of absence until March 31, 2009, was announced. His first default loss due to this absence was against Kimura.

While undergoing rehabilitation to return to play, his recovery was not as expected, and he decided he could no longer participate in shogi activities. He submitted his retirement notice to the Japan Shogi Association, which was accepted on March 11, 2009. A subsequent report in The Nikkei on May 30, 2016, revealed that colon cancer was discovered during his hospitalization, and his decision to retire was partly to focus on treatment.

On the day of the announcement, Nakahara held a press conference. Despite a visible impairment on his left side and using a cane, he appeared in good spirits and calmly stated that he had "fully enjoyed the game" over his 43-year career, having participated in many matches and title games, and had no regrets in that regard. However, he did express one regret: "If there's one thing I regret, it's the 2003 Ryūō-sen challenger determination match (which he lost). I wanted to play a title match against Habu at least once." At the time of his retirement, he was still ranked in the Ryūō-sen 1st group, a rare achievement for a player in their 60s (only he and Yasuharu Ōyama achieved this).

After retirement, Nakahara expressed his desire to continue shogi activities through commentary and analysis. The Japan Shogi Association recognized his extensive contributions by appointing him "Honorary President of the Shogi Players Association" from April 1, 2009, until his 70th birthday in 2017. He held this position until April 11, 2011, when he declined a third term on the board. Since 2009, he has also periodically held large-board commentary events for title matches at the Shinjo Children's Shogi Classroom near Musashi-Shinjo Station, alongside his disciple Shuji Sato.

3.1. Overview of Playing Style

During his peak, Nakahara was primarily an orthodox Static Rook (Ibishya) player. His style was famously dubbed "Natural Style" by Yasuo Harada, who described it as playing "like a flowing river, attacking when it's time to attack, and defending when it's time to defend." A key characteristic of his play was his unique "Daikyokukan" (grand strategic vision), which prioritized overall board control over the mere safety of his king. He was also highly skilled in Irikyoku (entering the opponent's camp), often converting games into a king-entering situation. Nakahara was particularly noted for his exceptional use of the Knight (Keima), often regarded as a "master of Knight play," with many of his winning games featuring brilliant Knight moves.

His approach to battling Ranging Rook (Furibisha) strategies, exemplified by his Yagura-like "King's Head Rook Position" (Gyokutō-idori), often involved aiming for an ideal formation and then punishing opponents who attempted to disrupt it. He systematically dismantled opponents' favored strategies, such as Ōyama's Ranging Rook, Ōuchi's Anaguma (bear in the hole), and Naito's aerial tactics (Kūchū Senpō).

3.2. Development of Original Tactics

Nakahara's playing style evolved significantly after he lost the Meijin title in the 1982 fiscal year. He began to develop and popularize several original tactical formations. These included:

• Nakahara-ryū Aigakari: A specific variation of the Aigakari opening, where both players build a Static Rook formation.
• Yoko Fudori Nakahara-ryū: A specialized variation of the Yoko Fudori opening, characterized by unique pawn arrangements.
• Nakahara-ryū Kyūsen Yagura: A quick-attack formation used against the Yagura castle.

His development of these original tactics, along with the "Nakahara Castle" (中原囲い_{Nakahara Gakoi}^Japanese), a castling strategy often used in Side Pawn Capture games to defend against rook drops, earned him the Kōzō Masuda Award in 1996. After experiencing difficulties in Yagura games during the 1992 Meijin match against Michio Takahashi (where he lost all Yagura games), Nakahara increasingly employed these newly developed tactics, including the "Nakahara Bishya" and the "6-5-fu attack" against Ranging Rook. He even utilized some of these formations in his Meijin title matches for a short period.

Nakahara was also known for some dramatic moves and oversights. In the 31st Meijin match, he made a significant oversight with his 8-5 Gold move against Ōyama. Conversely, in the 48th Meijin match, he blundered with his 2-5 Knight drop against Tanigawa, leaving it exposed. However, he also produced brilliant moves, such as the historic 5-7 Silver against Yonenaga in the 37th Meijin match. In his later years, Nakahara was often characterized as an "optimist" regarding the game's situation. Even when opponents or observers in the commentary room believed the position was equal or unfavorable for him, he would often assert after the game that he thought he had the advantage in those moments.

4.1. Lifetime Titles and Major Titles

Makoto Nakahara is one of the few players to hold the qualification for five lifetime titles:

• Lifetime Meijin (16th Meijin)
• Lifetime Kisei
• Lifetime 10-dan
• Lifetime Ōi
• Lifetime Ōza

He made 91 appearances in major title matches and won a remarkable 64 major titles throughout his career, placing him third all-time in total major title acquisitions. He also achieved a lifetime Grand Slam, having won all seven major titles that existed during his playing career (including the former Jūdan title).

His major title victories include:

The Kisei title was held twice yearly until 1994. Nakahara won the title three times from 1968 to 1969, four times from 1970 to 1972, five times from 1977 to 1979, and three times from 1988 to 1989. The 10-dan title was replaced by the Ryūō title in 1988.

4.2. Other Championships and Shogi Awards

In addition to his major titles, Nakahara won 28 other shogi championships throughout his career, which places him third all-time for total non-major championship victories. These include:

• Ōza (pre-title match era): 10 times (1969-1974, 1976-1979 fiscal years)
• NHK Cup: 6 times (1974, 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992, 1994 fiscal years)
• Hayazashi Shogi Championship: 3 times (late 1972, late 1973, 1985 fiscal years)
• Japan Series: 1 time (1981 fiscal year)
• All-Star Knockout (5+ wins): 3 times (1984, 1987-1988 fiscal years)
• Shogi Federation Cup: 1 time (3rd tournament)
• Old Guard vs. New Guard Match: 1 time (11th tournament)
• Strongest Player Decider: 1 time (11th tournament)
• Meishō-sen: 2 times (1st and 2nd terms)

Nakahara also received multiple Shogi Annual Awards, including five Most Valuable Player awards and the Kōzō Masuda Award in 1996 for his development of "Nakahara-ryū Yoko Fudori" and "Nakahara-gakoi" tactics.

4.3. Career Statistics and Class History

Nakahara's professional career statistics are among the most impressive in shogi history. He played a total of 2,093 games, including 3 draws. His career record stands at 1,308 wins and 782 losses, with a winning percentage of 0.6258. At the time of his retirement, his 1,308 wins were the second-highest in history.

He spent 18 terms in the Ryūō-sen 1st group (from the 1st to 9th, 13th to 15th, and 17th to 22nd terms, including his first term as a main tournament seed and his final term under a leave of absence). In the Jun'i-sen, he maintained A-class status for 29 consecutive terms (30 years), for a total of 29 terms (from the 25th to 30th, and 36th to 58th terms). The Jun'i-sen had a 5-term gap (31st-35th) before the Meijin title sponsorship shifted from Asahi Shimbun to Mainichi Shimbun, which aligned the Meijin and Jun'i-sen term counts from the 36th term onwards.

The table below illustrates the top 10 players by total title acquisitions:

• Players marked with an asterisk (*) are active. Numbers in parentheses indicate total title match appearances.

4.4. Promotion History

• September 1957: Entered Toshio Takayanagi's tutelage at age 10.
• April 1958: Joined Shōreikai as a 6-kyu.
• 1961: Promoted to 1-dan at age 13.
• October 1, 1965: Promoted to 4-dan (professional debut).
• April 1, 1967: Promoted to 5-dan.
• April 1, 1968: Promoted to 6-dan.
• April 1, 1969: Promoted to 7-dan.
• April 1, 1970: Promoted to 8-dan.
• November 3, 1973: Promoted to 9-dan.
• March 31, 2009: Retired.

4.5. Win/Loss Records Against Major Opponents

• Note: The number of games against Katō, Yonenaga, and Ōuchi includes one draw each in title matches. The 187 games against Yonenaga constitute the highest number of matches played against a single opponent in history.

4.6. Annual Performance Statistics

4.7. Notable Records and Milestones

Nakahara holds several all-time records and significant milestones:

• Kisei Title Reigns: 16 terms (tied for 1st place with Yasuharu Ōyama and Yoshiharu Habu).
• Kisei Tournament Progress: Reached the top 16 or higher in 71 Kisei tournaments, including an unbroken streak of 69 consecutive tournaments from the 8th to the 79th Kisei (a record that spanned over 40 years from his age 20 to 61).
• Highest Annual Win Rate: 0.855 (47 wins, 8 losses) in the 1967 fiscal year.
• Fastest Lifetime Title Qualification: Qualified for his first lifetime title (Lifetime Kisei) 5 years and 10 months after becoming a 4-dan professional.
• Youngest Lifetime Meijin Qualification: Qualified for Lifetime Meijin at 28 years and 9 months.
• Jun'i-sen A-class Perfect Season: Achieved an 8-0 record in the A-class Jun'i-sen in 1971 (tied with Toshiyuki Moriuchi, Yoshiharu Habu, and Akira Watanabe, who achieved 9-0 records).
• Consecutive Years with >70% Win Rate: 10 consecutive years.
• Career Wins: Achieved 1,300 career wins on September 27, 2007, becoming only the second player in history to reach this milestone.
• Total Games Played: Reached 2,000 career games on February 16, 2004, becoming the third player to do so.

He received numerous commendations from the Japan Shogi Association for his achievements, including awards for reaching 500, 600, 800, 1000 (3rd player ever), 1100 (3rd player ever), 1200 (2nd player ever), and 1300 career wins. He was also honored for 25 and 40 years of active service.

5.1. Japan Shogi Association Presidency

Makoto Nakahara served as the president of the Japan Shogi Association from May 2003 until May 2005, succeeding Tatsuya Futakami. During his tenure, he played a key role in the association's activities and the promotion of shogi. After one term as president, he handed the position over to Kunio Yonenaga and took on the role of Vice President. He retired from the board of directors and his Vice President position in May 2007.

5.2. Honorary Titles and Post-Retirement Activities

Following his retirement, Nakahara continued to contribute to the shogi world. The Japan Shogi Association, recognizing his long-standing achievements and contributions, appointed him "Honorary President of the Shogi Players Association" from April 1, 2009, until his 70th birthday in 2017. He served in this honorary capacity until April 11, 2011, when he declined a further term in the revised executive structure.

Even after officially retiring from active play, Nakahara remained engaged in shogi-related activities. He frequently provides commentary for shogi matches and participates in public appearances. Since 2009, he has also periodically held large-board commentary events for major title matches at the Shinjo Children's Shogi Classroom near Musashi-Shinjo Station, often alongside his disciple Shuji Sato.

6.1. Personality and Hobbies

Nakahara was known for his highly competitive nature; he was said to never go easy on opponents, even amateurs. Early in his career, during his 4-dan to 6-dan days, his formidable strength earned him the nickname "Iron Arm Atom." A notable anecdote highlights his generous and compassionate side: when his close friend and fellow shogi player, Shūichi Ikeda, suffered from tuberculosis and had to leave professional shogi for long-term treatment in his hometown while a 3-dan, Nakahara, who was already a professional at the time (4-dan to 5-dan), provided monthly financial support to Ikeda during his hospitalization.

Nakahara pursued several significant hobbies outside of shogi. He was an avid player of Go, even maintaining his membership in the Japan Shogi Association's Go club as of 2016 and being awarded an amateur 6-dan certificate in January 2019. He was also a devoted fan of classical music, a hobby he cultivated early in his professional career by frequenting classical music cafes. This led to his interaction with the composer and conductor Naosumi Yamamoto, a shogi enthusiast, and Nakahara even conducted at "Komane Concerts" (concerts featuring the sounds of shogi pieces). Additionally, he enjoyed watching Major League Baseball on television.

Nakahara was also skilled in composing Tsume Shogi (shogi problems), often contributing his original problems to magazines even while he held the Meijin title. One 9-move tsume shogi problem he created in junior high school was so challenging that even Meijin Masao Tsukada reportedly could not solve it. In his youth, he was affectionately called "Makoron," possibly because his round glasses resembled the Japanese confection "makoron." During public commentaries, his well-known catchphrase was "I'm surprised!" which he would utter when an unexpected move was played, often indicating it was an "bad move" rather than a "good move."

6.2. Public Controversies

In 1998, Makoto Nakahara was involved in a public controversy that received significant media attention. Audio recordings of his voice were released on television talk shows, taken from the answering machine of former women's professional shogi player Naoko Hayashiba. The recordings, which dated between 1994 and 1998, contained abusive messages, including phrases like "I'm breaking in now!" and "Someone like you should just die quickly! Get AIDS or something!" Nakahara held a press conference in his garden and admitted the facts of the situation.

6.3. Disciples

Makoto Nakahara nurtured several disciples who went on to become professional shogi players and women's professional shogi players.

Professional Shogi Players:

Women's Professional Shogi Players: