Why did "Shogi" (Japanese chess) become a local specialty in Tendo City? Let's explore its origins and history! [Yamagata Prefecture]

Yamagata Prefecture is a place full of attractions, from hot springs and fruits to ramen. And one of its attractions is "Shogi (Japanese chess) in Tendo City."

While many people may have a general idea of ​​what shogi is, I suspect that few actually know why it's so famous

So, this time we will introduce the origins of shogi, the history of how Tendo became a famous shogi production area, and spots where you can learn more about the appeal of shogi

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Tendo City = "Shogi Town"

Tendo City is famous as the "City of Shogi (Japanese chess)," and its slogan,"Tendo, the city of hot springs, checkmate to your trip,"promotes shogi.

In fact,Tendo City is a major production center, producing over 90% of the shogi pieces used in Japan.

In spring, events such as "Human Shogi" held amidst falling cherry blossoms take place , and in autumn, the "International Shogi Festival," the Olympics of the shogi world , is held here, making it a sacred place for shogi fans.

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What is the origin of shogi?

Shogi is a board game that has been known in Japan for a long time, but where exactly did it come from? Let's go back in time to the origins of shogi itself

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Shogi's origins lie in Chaturanga

The origins of shogi are said to lie in "chaturanga," a four-player (or two-player) board game that originated in ancient India

Chaturanga is a game played on an 8x8 grid of 64 squares, where players place pieces such as Raja (king), Gaja (elephant), and Ashwa (horse), and strategize to capture the king

The format is similar in that players use their own pieces on the board to capture the opponent's king, and it is believed that chess was introduced from Chaturanga to the West and Shogi to the East

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"Shogi" comes from "Shogi"

The oldest document indicating that shogi was played in Japan dates back to 1058 during the Heian period, showing that shogi was introduced to Japan a very long time ago. At that time, it was apparently called "xiangxi" (象戯), a name that originated in China

However, in the Azuchi-Momoyama period, the characters for "elephants playing" were deemed unsuitable for samurai, sothe character for elephant was changed to the character for "general," and it is said that during the Hōreki and Genroku periods, the character for "play" was changed to the character for "chess.

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Why did shogi become famous in Tendo City?

Tendo city became a shogi piece production center during the Edo period. In fact, shogi pieces were originally manufactured in Takahata, not Tendo

In the late Edo period, a man named Yoshida Daihachi , who rose through the ranks of the Tendo domain through important positions such as chief inspector, military equipment magistrate, and head of the Yoseikan academy, eventually becoming a senior official, and who played an active role during the end of the Edo period and the Meiji Restoration , promoted the manufacture of shogi pieces as a way to alleviate the hardships faced by the domain's samurai, which led to the establishment of the industry in Tendo.

The chess piece industry, which took root in Tendo as a home-based business for samurai, became increasingly mechanized from the end of the Meiji period to the beginning of the Showa period, making it possible to produce high-quality, inexpensive chess pieces, and it is said to have become one of the leading production areas in the country

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Three spots where you can experience Shogi culture

There are many spots throughout Tendo City where you can experience shogi culture. We will introduce two recommended spots this time, so please use them as a reference for your sightseeing

Tendo Park (Maizuru Mountain)

Maizuru Mountain, where many remains of the mountain castle that served as the residence of the Tendo clan from the Muromachi period to the Sengoku period still exist, is now developed as "Tendo Park."

From the park on top of the mountain, you can enjoy a panoramic view of Tendo city, including Mount Gassan and the Asahi mountain range. Every April,the Tendo Cherry Blossom Festival and the "Human Chess"event are held here, making it one of Tendo city's famous spots that attracts many tourists.

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Tendo City Shogi Museum

The Tendo City Shogi Museum is located on the first floor of Tendo Station, and is a museum where you can learn all about shogi, including the history of shogi itself and the connection between Tendo City and shogi

You can take a good look at the works of shogi craftsmen, the shogi boards used in the Kamakura period, and the process of making the pieces. The admission fee is reasonable at 320 yen per adult, so if you stop by before starting your sightseeing in the Tendo area, you'll be able to fully experience the charm of the town of shogi

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Tendo Station area

Once you leave Tendo Station and head into the city center, you'll find shogi-themed objects placed everywhere. A particular highlightthe "tsume shogi" (shogi problems) embedded in the sidewalks and utility poles. After a walk that requires you to rack your brains, the hot springs and local cuisine will taste especially wonderful.

There are also other objects with shogi (Japanese chess) motifs, and you can get a tourist guidebook called "KOMAP" at tourist facilities in the city. For more details, please visit the online tourist site

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Enjoy shogi culture in Tendo City!

This time, we introduced the origins of shogi, the history of how Tendo became a famous shogi production area, and spots where you can learn more about the appeal of shogi. There are also many places that can be enjoyed even by people who don't know shogi, so why not go to Tendo and experience shogi culture for yourself?

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