Hana Wada

Hana Wada
Native name	和田はな
Born	(2002-01-14) January 14, 2002 (age 23)
Hometown	Wakō, Saitama, Japan
Career
Achieved professional status	September 1, 2020(2020-09-01) (aged 18)
Badge Number	W-69
Rank	Women's 1-kyū
Teacher	Yūki Fujikura (5-dan)
Websites
JSA profile page

Hana Wada (和田 はな, Wada Hana, born January 14, 2002) is a Japanese women's professional shogi player ranked 1-kyū.

Early life, education and amateur shogi

Wada was born in Wakō, Saitama on January 14, 2002.^[1][2] She became interested in shogi from watching her father, older brother and older sister play when she about five years old, and entered the Japan Shogi Association's training group system in 2011 as a student of shogi professional Yūki Fujikura in October 2011 when she was nine years old.^[3][4] As a sixth grade elementary school student, she won the 7th Girl's Elementary School Student Meijin Tournament [ja] in 2013.^[5] Wada won the 46th Women's Amateur Meijin tournament [ja],^[2][4][6] and finished second in girl's division of the 35th All-Japan Junior High School Student Championships [ja] in 2014 as a twelve-year-old first grade junior high school student.^[7][8]

Wada's plan to become a women's professional shogi player, however, was put on hold when she moved to Houston with her parents due to her father's work. While living in Houston she continued to play shogi and won the United States Shogi Championship in 2018 when she was fifteen years old.^[4][9] After returning to Japan, she won the 27th All-Japan Girl's High School Invitational Tournament [ja] in January 2019 as second year high school student.^[10]

Wada qualified for the rank of women's professional 2-kyū in July 2020 after being promoted to training group B2. She applied for women's professional status and her application was accepted by the Japan Shogi Association; she was granted women's professional status on September 1, 2020.^[2][3][4]

After graduating from high school, Wada was accepted into the School of Social Sciences of Waseda University.^[2][4]

Women's shogi professional

Promotion history

Wada's promotion history is as follows:^[11]

• 2-kyū: September 1, 2020
• 1-kyū: May 28, 2021

Note: All ranks are women's professional ranks.

Personal life

Wada's older sister Aki is also a women's professional shogi player, and the two are the fourth pair of sisters to be awarded women's professional shogi player status.^[2][4]

References

1. "Joryū Kishi Dētabēsu: Wada Hana" 女流棋士データベース: 和田はな [Women's Professional Shogi Player Database: Hana Wada] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
2. "Shōgi no Shinjoryūkishi ga Tanjō Jūhassai no Wadaisei･Wada Hana-san Wada Aki Joryū Shodan no Imōto" 将棋の新女流棋士が誕生 18歳の早大生･和田はなさん 和田あき女流初段の妹 [New women's professional announced: 18-year-old Waseda University student Hana Wada, the younger sister of women's professional 1-dan Aki Wada]. Sports Hochi (in Japanese). August 7, 2020. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
3. "Wada Hana-san ga Kugatsu kara Joryūkishi Nikyū ni" 和田はなさんが9月から女流棋士2級に [Hana Wada to become a women's professional 2-kyu from September] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. August 7, 2020. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
4. Kitano, Arata [in Japanese] (August 8, 2020). "Jūhassai Wadaisei no Shinjoryūkishi･Wada Hana-san Onaidoshi no Fujii Sōta Kishi wo ｢Dōseidai to Kangaeta koto nai desu...｣" 18歳早大生の新女流棋士･和田はなさん 同い年の藤井聡太棋聖を｢同世代と考えたことないです...｣ [New women's professional 18-year-old Waseda University student Hana Wada says that she can't believe that Sōta Fujii Kisei is the same age as she is]. Sports Hochi (in Japanese). Retrieved September 8, 2020.
5. "Dainanakai Shōgakusei･Daigokai Chūgakusei Joshi Shōgi Meijinsen Zenkoku Taikai Wada-san to Nagai-san ga Yūshō!" 第7回小学生･第5回中学生女子将棋名人戦 全国大会 和田さんと永井さんが優勝! [Ms. Wada and Ms. Nagai, respectively, win the All-Japan Girl's 7th Elementary School Student and 5th Junior High School Student Meijin Tournaments] (in Japanese). Ladies Professional Shogi-players' Association of Japan. September 1, 2013. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
6. "SRJ･Eikō Semināru Hai Dai Yonjūrokkai Joryū Ama Meijinsen [Kaisai Hōkoku]" SRJ･栄光ゼミナール杯第46期女流アマ名人戦 [開催報告] [SRJ･Eikoh Seminar Cup 46th Women's Amateur Meijin Tournament [Report]] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. September 16, 2014. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
7. "Daisanjūgokai Zenkoku Chūgakusei Senbatsu Shōgi Senshuken Taikai [Joshi Kesshō Tōnamento]" 第35回全国中学生選抜将棋選手権大会 [女子決勝トーナメント] [35th All-Japan Junior High School Student Invitation Shogi Championships [Girl's Championship Tournament]] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. 2014. Retrieved September 8, 2010.
8. "Senkoku Chūgakusei Senbatsu Shōgi Senshuken Taikai: Nisenjūyonnen Taikai Kekka (Joshi no Bu)" 全国中学生選抜将棋選手権大会: 2014大会結果 (女子の部) [All-Japan Junior High School Student Invitational Shogi Championships: 2014 tournament results [Girl's Division]] (in Japanese). Tendō Yamagata Junior Chamber. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
9. "15-Year-Old Wins 2018 U.S. Shogi Championship In Tournament Hosted by Chicago Shogi Club". Chicago Shimpo. April 27, 2018. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
10. "Dainijūnanakai Zenkoku Kōtōgakkō Bunka Renmai Shinjin Taikai [Joshi no Bu]" 第27回全国高等学校文化連盟将棋新人大会 [女子の部] [27th All-Japan High School Culture Federation New Player Tournament [Girl's Division]] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. 2019. Retrieved September 8, 2010.
11. "Joryū Kishi Dētabēsu: Wada Hana Shōdan Rireki" 女流棋士データベース: 和田はな 昇段履歴 [Women's Professional Shogi Player Database: Hana Wada Promotion History] (in Japanese). Japan Shogi Association. Retrieved May 2, 2022.

External links

• ShogiHub: Wada, Hana