TENDO, Yamagata -- A "human shogi" event in which high school students acted as shogi pieces was held Saturday in Tendo, Yamagata Prefecture, known as the nation's top producer of shogi pieces.
The annual event attracted about 54,000 spectators, and took place on Mt. Maizuru amid fully bloomed cherry blossoms.
The year's event marked its 64th edition, and featured a match between second-dan ranked female player Shino Miyaso and second-kyu ranked Yuria Kato.
Forty local high school students wearing armor acted as shogi pieces, moving across the 17-meter-long, 14-meter-wide board in accordance with the two players' instructions.
Miyaso won the game in 142 moves after about 80 minutes of play.
"I was really impressed because I wanted to see a [human shogi] match. The game was very good, and I enjoyed it," a girl, 9, from Nagaoka, Niigata Prefecture, said.
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