WŌshō is one of the eight titles in Japanese professional shogi. The tournament is co-sponsored by Sports Nippon and the Mainichi Shimbun with additional support received from the Igo & Shogi Channel.
WMasataka Gōda is a Japanese professional shogi player, ranked 9-dan. He is a former major title holder, having won the Ōi, Kisei, Kiō and Ōshō titles throughout his career.
WYoshiharu Habu is a professional shogi player and a chess FIDE Master. His master is Tatsuya Futakami. He is the only person to simultaneously hold seven major professional shogi titles at the same time and is also the only person to qualify as a lifetime title holder for seven major titles. In January 2018, Habu became the first professional shogi player to be awarded Japan's People's Honour Award.
WHifumi Katō is a retired Japanese professional shogi player who achieved the rank of 9-dan.
WToshiaki Kubo is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 9-dan. He is a former Ōshō and Kiō title holder.
WKōzō Masuda is a deceased Japanese professional shogi player who achieved the rank of 9-dan. He is a former Meijin who was known for playing very creative shogi. For instance, top player Yoshiharu Habu considered Masuda's playing style to be 30 years ahead of its time and the origin of the modern way to play shogi.
WToshiyuki Moriuchi is a Japanese professional shogi player, ranked 9-dan. He is a Lifetime Meijin who won the title eight times, and also a former Ryūō, Kiō and Ōshō title holder. He is also a former senior managing director of the Japan Shogi Association.
WOsamu Nakamura is a Japanese professional shogi player, ranked 9-dan. He is a two-time winner of the Ōshō title, and the current president of the Professional Shogi Players Group.
WYasuharu Ōyama was a professional shogi player, 15th Lifetime Meijin and president of Japan Shogi Association. He studied shogi under Kinjiro Kimi . He won 80 titles, 44 other type tournaments and 1433 games in life, and was awarded five lifetime titles: Lifetime Meijin, Lifetime Jūdan, Lifetime Ōi, Lifetime Kisei and Lifetime Ōshō. Among his 80 titles, 18 were the Meijin title. He has appeared in the Meijin title match 25 times winning 18; he also holds the record for the most consecutive Meijin titles, the most overall Meijin titles, and being the oldest player to challenge for the Meijin title, at age 63 in 1986.
WYasumitsu Satō is a Japanese professional shogi player from Yawata City in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. He is currently the president of the Japan Shogi Association. He became a professional in 1987 and is ranked 9-dan. He has won 13 major titles, is a former Meijin title holder, and has qualified for the Lifetime Kisei title.
WKōji Tanigawa is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 9-dan. He is the 17th Lifetime Meijin and also a former president of the Japan Shogi Association (JSA).
WAkira Watanabe is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 9-dan. He is the current holder of the Meijin, Kiō and Ōshō titles. He is also a Lifetime Kiō and a Lifetime Ryūō title holder.