The shogi world finally got a new Meijin in 1789 in Oohashi Soukei IX (大橋宗桂・九代目, formerly Oohashi Inju 大橋印寿, 1744-1799), at the relatively late age of 45. Son of Oohashi Soukei VIII and grandson of the fifth Meijin Itou Soukan II, he had appeared in Castle games as early as 1755, beating Itou Kanju while accepting a rook-lance handicap.
Soukei IX had played many games with shogun Tokugawa Ieharu and his contemporaries. In 1774 he took over stewardship of the Oohashi main house after the passing of his father. Promoted to 8-dan in 1785 and making his tsumeshogi gift the Shogi Bugyoku (将棋舞玉) in 1786, Soukei IX became the eighth Meijin in 1789.
The Shogi Bugyoku would end up being the final gifted tsumeshogi collection to the shogunate, the practice being abolished by the next Meijin. It was a collection demonstrating Soukei IX’s talent, in particular with good ideas in themed tsumeshogi. About a third of the problems are still directly or indirectly inspired by Kanju’s and Soukan III’s works however, which speaks to how far the two predecessors had pushed the field beyond its bounds.
One of the duties as head of the house was to teach students, and Soukei IX was particularly fond of this. He would hold five classes a month, and offer 4-piece handicaps to new students himself.
He contested his last Castle Shogi game in 1797, losing to Itou Soukan VI (who would be the tenth Meijin) giving a right lance handicap. Soukei IX passed away in 1799. The title of Meijin left the Oohashi main house for the final time, going now to the head of the Oohashi branch house and the strongest of the Edo Meijin, Oohashi Souei VI.