This was the first time the “IKAI Christmas CUP All Japan Student Judo Mixed Team Tournament” was held. Not only was it the first All-Japan tournament in Japan to adopt the IJF mixed-gender group format, but it also had a special feel, similar to a world tour tournament, with creative ideas such as lighting, sound effects, MCs, and the installation of “entrance gates.”
Here are the comments and comments from the coaches of the teams who bravely participated in the tournament for the first time. We asked the commanders of the participating teams about their thoughts on their motivation for participating, the “mixed gender” format, and the production.
Nihon University coach Jun Konno
–About this tournament
It was a very fun tournament with a great atmosphere. Both the players and the spectators seemed to be having fun, and I think it’s the first tournament I’ve ever seen where everyone had smiles on their faces whether they won or lost.The fact that the boys and girls were together gave it a different atmosphere than before.
–The director had fun, too, right? (Enter wearing a Santa hat)
A female student asked me to wear it (lol). The uncle and aunt (Noriko Kitada, female director) also worked hard (lol). We lost in the semi-finals, but I think everyone was happy because their names were called out as the players entered the stadium. I don’t have any experience like that.
–At Nihon University, the practice locations for men and women are different, right?
The dojos are quite far apart, so there are usually very few opportunities to interact with each other. I thought it was great to see them genuinely supporting each other this time, and I thought it looked like it would be fun.
–How did you decide the members for the tournament?
(For the boys), we talked to them from above and formed a lineup of players who wanted to play. If it were such an interesting tournament, I think there would be many players who would want to participate as well. Since it’s a competition, there’s no doubt that winning is the priority, but the selection of music that was played created a very fun atmosphere, and I thought the DJ, production, and naming of the “Christmas Cup” were also great. I’m looking forward to seeing how it evolves in the future, and I’m really grateful to Mr. Anai and President Ikai for their efforts in launching this tournament. The first tournament was a great success, and I believe it can be called a historic tournament for the Japanese judo world.
Kokushikan University, Director Masahiko Tonai
–I heard that the registered members were changed just before.
Since we wanted to win if we were to enter, we changed the four entries in December. We had a full lineup, including some strengthened players. This was the first time for men and women to fight together, but I thought it would be great to fight together.
–How was it when you came out?
The players worked really hard. The rest is just the performance. I think it would be great if the judo world could grow in this way. The players were surprised (lol), but their excitement increased, and I think it was a very good thing in terms of motivation. (After passing through the gate, everyone at Kokushikan was bowing.) After all, judo begins and ends with bowing. Only Hatakeyama (Gai) was wearing a Santa hat right before the event, saying, “The management asked me to do it, so is that okay?” (lol)
–How did you talk to the players?
The game has just ended, and the shout-outs are about to begin. After all, there are wins and losses. The most important thing is to fully understand the issues, reconsider them, and overcome them one by one. I would like to talk about connecting this experience to my next growth.
Meiji University, Director Shingo Nakahama
–How did you come to participate in the tournament?
First of all, one girl joined us this year. Of course, there were boys, so we didn’t know what to do, but the fact that Mr. Anai, the executive committee chair, approached us made a big difference. If all four of them win, they will advance, and even if one loses, if three of them win, they can advance to the national team. I decided to participate this time considering the meaning of gaining experience.
–Looking back, how did you feel?
I think it was a plus because I was able to experience a lot of different things, such as a sense of tension that I don’t normally experience in practice, and the pressure of having to absolutely win. We didn’t know what level of experience other universities would offer, so we focused on experience and decided to have students in their third year or younger. Katayama won the Tokai War in a good way, and I think that gave him confidence. There are many challenges to overcome, but overall I think it was a good experience and a good tournament.
――The competition was a little different from usual in terms of production and other aspects.
Thank you for really cheering up the students. I have nothing but gratitude to Professor Anai and President Ikai. Everyone was thinking about various performances, and since we were a little small in number, we couldn’t think about it that much. I’ll think about it again next time (lol)
Kinki University Coach Mayumi Yamashita
–What are your thoughts on this tournament?
The atmosphere at the tournament was very good, and I think the players enjoyed playing in the matches themselves. (-Preliminary player introduction video(The event was well-received, and the entrance was elaborate from the first day.) Mr. Anai was working hard to come up with various performances, and we also decided to do something fun since we had the opportunity to do so. What gets us excited is the match itself, and then the entrance. (-Executive Committee Chairman Anai also said, “Kindai, don’t do it!”) I’m grateful (lol). Since this is the first time, you won’t get the chance to experience something like this at other All-Japan student competitions, and I think it was a great experience for the students to do things they wouldn’t normally be able to do.
–It’s a rare experience to fight between men and women.
We usually go to different dojos, so we don’t really interact with each other, but I guess we usually meet up in classes. We got along well. I was assigned to be the director, but I told the students, “You don’t have to worry about bothering the boys or the girls anymore, so just do what you can. The one who has fun wins!” At other tournaments, it’s hard to say “enjoy” even if you say it. I wanted everyone to enjoy the tournament to the best of their ability.
–How was the performance?
I felt jealous of the players. Nowadays, various sports are incorporating colorful performances. I think it’s important for the general public to see judo and think, “Judo is fun, too!” and the production can be a big help in that. The children who came to watch today may have thought, “Judo is great and fun.” I think judo tends to have an image of being dark, tiring, and painful, but I think I was able to see that it was fun as well.
–What do you think is the significance of the mixed gender tournament?
I think there are many places like ours where there is only a male and female judo club, and even if there are, the activities are separate, but it is great to see men and women working together, supporting each other, and doing their best on one team, carrying the name of the same university. I think it’s a great thing for student judo. Up until now, we haven’t been able to support the boys directly. I thought it was really good. And the most important thing I can say is that it was fun!
Tohoku Welfare University, Supervisor Goto Yoshi
— Nagaku, the only participant from the Tohoku region
We’re not a very strong team, so we don’t have a lot of opportunities. I decided to participate because I wanted to experience as many games as possible. It was the first time, and there were various timings before deciding which universities would participate, so there were some parts where I couldn’t predict which universities would participate and for how many, but experience is more important than anything else. We have both male and female members, and we practice together. I am very grateful for the experience of being able to come together as a team and come together as a team. I also felt that we could deepen our friendships through the tournament. For that reason, I decided to participate, although it was a little far away.
–How was it when you came out?
The atmosphere was a little different from a normal national tournament, and everyone seemed to be having a lot of fun, but of course all the teams and players were serious when it came to competition. It was a very interesting competition.
–The presentation is also different from normal tournaments.
It was fun. I knew that there would be an entrance gate, but it wasn’t until I arrived at the venue that I realized how serious it was, and the players who didn’t know about it were surprised, wondering, “Huh? What are they going to do?” (-On the first day, when the name of the university was called and they entered the venue, I thought that the players looked particularly cute on their faces.) On the second day, I was also thinking about various things, although I was a bit shy (lol). It looks like everyone enjoyed it. I was able to visit Numazu, which I don’t often have the chance to visit, and I think it was a great experience, including the trip.
――Is there anything you would like to do for next year that would make it easier, grateful, or enjoyable?
If the players can imagine things like the gate and the cool venue ahead of time, I think they will think about it more and do their best (lol). I think it would be fun to spend some time thinking and practicing in preparation for the tournament. Next year, the generations will change, but there will be a decent number of both boys and girls, so I would like to practice hard, become stronger, and compete again.
Chukyo University Director Keisuke Miyake
–What was it like participating in your first tournament?
The atmosphere of the venue itself was completely different from that of domestic tournaments in Japan. Of course, I had a lot of fun, but most of all, I feel that it was a very beneficial tournament for the students as well. I hope this excitement continues. When it comes to matches, everyone gets nervous and stiff, but this time it was called the “Christmas Cup,” so it was easy for me as a coach to pull things off. Even when playing against a strong team, I think the atmosphere was such that they were able to demonstrate their strength even more than usual. I’m sure there will be many more players who want to play in this match. The performance was also good. I think it is extremely important for judo in Japan today to be able to convey to the children who come to watch that the people doing it look like they are having fun. I’d be happy if there were more tournaments like this that pay attention to production and make each match count, not just the matches where the winner is decided.
–What is the training environment for men and women at Chukyo University?
The practice area is the same, and each team has its own instructor. Depending on the practice menu, they may or may not be divided, or they may practice together, and even when the menu is different, the girls can catch the boys and practice. That’s what it feels like. I think we were able to do it naturally and in a good atmosphere this time as well.
–Will you be able to appear next year as well?
I agree. I would like to do my best with the goal of somehow making it to the top 8 and being able to stay at Tokinosumika. (Editor’s note: Top 8 and above teams will be invited to “Gotenba Kogen Tokinosumu” when participating next year)
