Japan Shogi Association

For much of its early history, shogi followed an iemoto system centered around three families (schools): the Ōhashi (main), the Ōhashi (branch) and the Itō. The Meijin title was hereditary and could only be held by members of these three families. These three schools were supported by the Tokugawa shogunate and thus controlled the professional shogi world up until 1868 when the Meiji Restoration began. By the time Sōin Itō, the eighth and last head of the Itō school and the 11th Hereditary Meijin, had died in 1893, the influence of the families had decreased to such an extent that they had no real power at all.

In 1921, there were three groups of professional players in the Tokyo area: the 東京将棊倶楽部 led by Kinjirō Sekine (the thirteen Lifetime Meijin), the 東京将棊同盟社 led by Ichitarō Doi, and the 東京将棊研究會 led by Kumao Ōsaki. Additionally, western Japan had its own separate organizations. On September 8, 1924, the Tokyo players united together to found the Tokyo Shogi Federation (東京将棋連盟, tōkyō shōgi renmei), the earliest form of the JSA, with Doi as president and Sekine as honorary president. The Tokyo Shogi Federation changed its name to Nihon Shōgi Renmei (日本将棋連盟) in 1927 with Sekine as president. In 1932, the president changed back to Doi with Sekine again as honorary president. Yasujirō Kon replaced Doi as president in 1934. However, the shogi world was split again in 1935 when a western guild of players called Japan Shogi Reform Society (日本将棋革新協会, nihon shōgi kakushin kyōkai) with Chōtarō Hanada as its president separated from the eastern Nihon Shōgi Renmei due to a controversy over the 8-dan promotion of Tatsunosuke Kanda. In 1936, the two sections along with a western third sect (Tatsunosuke Kanda's 十一日会 group) merged to form the Shogi Consolidation Association (将棋大成会, shōgi taisei-kai) with Sekine as its president. With this merger, it became possible to hold the first Real Strength (nonhereditary) Meijin tournament. Yoshio Kimura, who became the first nonhereditary Meijin in 1937, replaced Sekine as president in 1938. In 1947, it officially changed its name back to Nihon Shōgi Renmei with Kimura still as president. In 1949, it became a legal entity (社団法人 shadan hōjin 'corporate person') for the first time.

The JSA celebrated its 81st anniversary in November 2005, which was significant because a shogi board consists of 81 squares.

In 2025, the association elected Ichiyo Shimizu as its first woman president.