Sae Itō


is a Japanese women's professional shogi player ranked 3-dan.

Early life

Itō was born in Musashino, Tokyo on October 6, 1993, and learned how to play shogi from her older brother.
As a fifth-grade elementary school student, Itō finished third in the 29th in April 2004. Itō defeated future shogi professional and major title holder Takuya Nagase in her Round 1 game of the Championship Tournament and won two more games to advance to the semi-finals where she lost to another future shogi professional and eventual tournament winner Yūki Sasaki. Itō was the only girl to qualify for the Championship Tournament, and the field included seven boys who would eventually become professional shogi players, including three who would also become major title holders. In September 2004, Itō was accepted into the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school at the rank of 6-kyū under the guidance of shogi professional Nobuyuki Yashiki.

Promotion history

Note: All ranks are women's professional ranks.

Major titles

Itō has been the challenger for a women's professional shogi major title seven times but has yet to win a title.

Awards and honors

Itō received the Japan Shogi Association's Annual Shogi Awards for "Excellent Women's Professional" twice and "Most Games Played by a Women's Professional" three times.