Ryūma Tonari

is a Japanese professional shogi player ranked 7-dan.

Early life, amateur shogi and apprentice professional Tonari was born on January 17, 1990, in Miyazaki, Miyazaki. As a young boy, he learned how to play shogi from watching his father and older brother playing each other. In 2000, Tonari defeated fellow future professional Taichi Nakamura to win the 25th as a fifth-grade student at Miyazaki Ehira Elementary School.

Tonari entered the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school at the rank of 6-kyū as a student of shogi professional Kōji Tanigawa in September 2000. He was promoted to the rank of 3-dan in October 2007, and he became the only apprentice professional 3-dan to win the Shinjin-Ō tournament when he defeated shogi professional Tetsuya Fujimori 2 games to 1 for the 44th Shinjin-Ō title in October 2013.

Shogi professional Tonari invented the Tonari opening, which is named after him.

Promotion history Tonari's promotion history is as follows:

6-kyū: September 2000 3-dan: October 2007 4-dan: April 1, 2016 5-dan: March 15, 2018 6-dan: November 13, 2019 7-dan: March 25, 2021

Titles and other championships Tonari has yet to appear in a major title match, but he has won one non-major title championship.

Awards and honors Tonari received the Japan Shogi Association Annual Shogi Award for "Special Game of the Year" for the 2014 Shogi Year for his game against Mitsunori Makino in the Round 2 of the 46th {Shinjin-Ō tournament.