Nanami Naka
Nanami Naka is a Japanese women's professional shogi player ranked 3-dan.
Early life, amateur shogi and apprentice professional
Naka was born on August 7. 1998, in Kobe, Japan. She learned how to play shogi from her older brother when she was a first-grade elementary school student. While in elementary school, Naka was Hyōgo Prefecture's representative in several national elementary school tournaments for girls, and won the in 2008 as a fourth-grade student and in 2009 as a fifth-grade student. She also represented Hyōgo Prefecture in the in 2008, 2009 and 2010, finishing tied for third in the 2010 tournament after losing to future professional shogi player in the tournament's semi-finals.Naka entered the 's apprentice professional school in September 2011 at the rank of apprentice professional 6-kyū as a first-year junior high school student under the mentorship of shogi professional Keita Inoue. She was promoted to apprentice professional 1-dan in 2018, and apprentice professional 2-dan in February 2020. In September 2020, Naka become the third female overall and the first in five years to be promoted to apprentice professional 3-dan. Naka participated in the JSA's apprentice professional 3-dan League for eight seasons from the 68th 3-dan League until the 75th 3-dan League, but was required to leave the apprentice school after turning 26 years old due to apprentice professional school age requirements.
Female apprentice professionals ranked 2-kyū or higher who leave the apprentice professional school but otherwise satisfy the [Professional shogi player#Women's professional status|criteria for women's professional status] are given two weeks to notify the JSA of their intention to become a women's professional. On October 4, 2024, the posted on its official website that Naka had made such a request, and that it had been approved. The JSA also posted that Naka would be awarded the rank of women's professional 3-dan in accordance with its rules regarding such matters since that was the highest rank she achieved as an apprentice professional, and also that her change in status would become official on November 1, 2024.
Women's shogi professional
Naka's debut game as a women's professional came on December 19, 2024, when she faced Saki Kawamata in a Women's Meijin league preliminary round game; Naka won the game in 92 moves. Naka won her next five games before losing to in the semi-finals of a 52nd Women's Meijin preliminary block tournament on February 19, 2025.On September 13, 2025, Naka defeated women's profesional 6-crown title holder Kana Fukuma in the finals of the challenger determination round for the 47th Women's Ōshō tournament to advance to a major title match for the first time. In the best-of-three 47th Women's Ōshō title match against Tomoka Nishiyama, Naka won the first game but lost the next two to lose the match 2 games to 1.
Playing style
Naka has stated she does not really have a favorite shogi opening, but her mentor has described her as having an attacking-style and being an "all-rounder" who is proficient in both Ranging Rook and Static Rook openings.Promotion history
The promotion history for Naka is given below.- 3-dan: November 1, 2024