Women are increasingly finding opportunities to learn or enjoy traditional Japanese arts and games primarily pursued by men.
Yamato Takahashi, a professional player of "shogi," also known as Japanese chess, holds evening lessons for women twice a month at an office in the Shimokitazawa district in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo. Participants in her "shogiotome" class are grouped by skill level into teams of about 10 to learn shogi techniques.
Although "otome" is the Japanese word for "maiden," participants range from university students to women in their 40s. Although they are quite serious about learning the game, they also enjoy eating snacks and chatting during their breaks.