The second round of the Oi-sen (throne game), which is one of the major shogi title matches, was held in Sapporo on July 13 and 14. Sota Fujii (17), a seventh-dan high school student, played against the Oi title holder Kazuki Kimura (47) in this hot match. Lunch meals ordered by players known as “shogi meshi” and snacks served during the match attracted as much attention as the match itself.
The match venue Hotel Emisia Sapporo in Sapporo’s Atsubetsu Ward prepared four kinds of meals and six kinds of snacks using plenty of Hokkaido ingredients. Asparagus, sea urchin, scallops, and other seasonal delicacies were used for lunch and Hokkaido-grown Nanatsuboshi rice was used for all meals.

On the first day, Fujii chose the Chinese set with fried rice topped with scallops, sea urchin, salmon roe, and other ingredients for lunch, assorted fruit including Hokkaido-grown strawberries and cherries for the morning snack, and sponge cake using fresh cream from Hokkaido for the afternoon snack. Kimura ordered the ten-don (tempura rice bowl) and cold soba noodle set for lunch and ajisai (hydrangea) jelly for the afternoon snack. Fujii had mini cream-filled dorayaki pancakes for the morning snack on the second day.

As the photos of lunch meals and snacks they ate were shown on breaking news online, shogi fans shared their excitement on social media.