Kensuke Kitahama

is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 8-dan.

Early life, amateur shogi and apprenticeship Kensuke Kitahama was born in Ebina, Kanagawa on December 28, 1975. As a sixth-grade elementary school student, he finished runner-up to Kōsuke Tamura in the in 1987.

In September 1988, Kitahama entered the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school at the rank of 6-kyū under the sponsorship of shogi professional . He was promoted to 1-dan in 1992 and obtained full professional status and the rank of 4-dan in April 1994.

Shogi professional In August 2026, Kitahama became the 69th professional to win 600 official games when he defeated Takuya Nishida in an 85th Meijin Class B2 Ranking League game.

Promotion history The promotion history for Kitahama is as follows: 6-kyū: 1988 1-dan: 1992 4-dan: April 1, 1994 5-dan: April 1, 1996 6-dan: April 1, 1998 7-dan: April 1, 2003 8-dan: March 7, 2013

Personal life Kitahama graduated from Waseda University in 2000.