Photo: 大臣官房人事課 / CC BY 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Okay, "Hifumin" is one of those people who just makes me grin. He turned pro at fourteen, which means while most of us were figuring out how to survive middle school, he was already sitting across a board outmuscling grown men with his brain. And honestly, his name reading "one-two-three" feels almost too on-the-nose for a guy who was clearly born to push wooden pieces around. What gets me is the contrast: in deep thought he looks fierce, locked in, kind of terrifying, then the second the game ends he flips into this beaming, chatty grandpa who clearly loves talking and eating and being on TV. Decorations like the Medal of Honor are nice, but to me the real prize is staying that warm and genuinely likable after decades of brutal competition. That's the flex I respect.
Story
The Fourteen-Year-Old Prodigy and the "Hifumin" Smile: The Life of Hifumi Katō
Overview
Hifumi Katō (born January 1, 1940) is a Japanese professional shogi player renowned as one of the greatest players in the history of the game. He turned professional at the age of fourteen, competing at the highest level for decades and accumulating numerous major titles and honors. In 2000 he was awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon, in 2018 the Order of the Rising Sun (Gold and Silver Rays), and in 2022 he was designated a Person of Cultural Merit. Following his retirement from competitive play he became a popular television personality, widely known by the affectionate nickname "Hifumin."
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Hifumi Katō
- Name (Japanese)
- 加藤一二三
- Reading
- かとう ひふみ
- Born
- January 1, 1940 (age 86)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Capricorn / Dragon (辰)
- Origin
- Japan
- Occupation
- Professional Shogi Player
2. Background
Awards & achievements
- Medal with Purple Ribbon (2000)
- Shogi Honor Award (1977)
- Shogi Honor Fighting Spirit Award (1982)
- Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays (2018)
- Person of Cultural Merit (2022)
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Hifumi Katō born?
Born January 1, 1940 (age 86).
Where is Hifumi Katō from?
Hifumi Katō is from Japan.
What does Hifumi Katō do?
Hifumi Katō works as Professional Shogi Player.
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.