Seven young judokas from Ishimaki are set to compete on the national stage as the 35th All Japan Judo Therapy Association National Junior Judo Tournament opens in Tokyo on November 8, 2026. Kimura Judo Club qualified in the team competition division, while Wataruba Judo earned its place in the kata event at the Kodokan venue.
Kimura Judo Club Earns Third National Berth
Kimura Judo Club punched its ticket to the national tournament back in April by winning the Miyagi prefectural tournament. The squad defeated a 25-team field from the Ishimaki region, opening with a victory over the Minamigata Judo Sports Boys Team from Tome City before marching through the tournament bracket to claim the crown.
The national tournament at the Kodokan brings together 48 squads that survived regional preliminaries, including host-location entries. While most prefectures send selection squads, Miyagi is represented entirely by the single Kimura club. Seeded into the second round, the team faces the winner of the preliminary matchup between Shimane and Ishikawa prefectures.
Team captain Kei Morita, a sixth grader at Koyo Elementary, said he plans to leave nothing on the mat. Riko Yamaguchi, a sixth grader at Yamashita Elementary serving as vice-captain, noted the unique challenge of facing unfamiliar opponents from across the country. Seiya Kimura, a fifth grader at Nakazato Elementary, emphasized that mental toughness will drive his matches in the middle position.
Because the club features only one fifth-grade competitor, two fourth graders round out the roster. Second fighter Haru Abe of Koyo Elementary stated his intent to press the attack early, while lead-off fighter Ayumu Chiba of Sumiyoshi Elementary wants to secure an early ippon via a hip sweep to establish momentum for the team.
Wataruba Judo Pairs Up for Kata Competition
Wataruba Judo sends a two-person pairing of sixth-grade students from Wataruba Elementary, Ruki Hatakeyama and Rion Abe, to contest the kata division. The duo secured the Miyagi prefectural berth by defeating a pair from Iwanuma City in a head-to-head showdown during the prefectural qualifiers.
Judo kata requires two participants working in tandem, separating roles into the thrower and the receiver. Competitors execute nine techniques, including one-arm shoulder throws and inner thigh throws. Judges evaluate technical precision, breakfall execution, spatial distance, bowing angles, and the posture of the athletes while kneeling on the mat.
Hatakeyama and Abe stepped up their preparation around January, adding twice-weekly practice and days dedicated specifically to kata. The pair also traveled for training sessions at clubs within the prefecture that had previously placed highly at nationals. At the Tohoku regional tournament featuring prefectural champions and runners-up, the Wataruba pair finished third. Hatakeyama pointed to that result as a source of confidence heading into the national bracket with an objective of finishing in the top eight.
