 In 2001, he finished runner-up in the 26th as a fourth grader, and reached the semi-finals of the 27th Elementary School Student Meijin Tournament held the following year as a fifth grader.As a sixth grader in 2003.Kurosawa tied for third place at the 2nd , and later that same year entered the Japan Shogi Association's apprentice school at the rank of 6-kyū under the guidance of shogi professional Michio Takahashi.