2026 Emperor's/Empress's Cup (aka All Japan) Jan 20-25, Doubles Jan 29-Feb 1

[zeio]

If Miku is younger than Toa why haven’t we heard much from him compared to Miku?

No clue. Perhaps spending more time on things other than table tennis.

 

[JackJohnson]

By the way why did Harimoto and Matsushima faced so soon in the All Japan semi finals. Aren’t they ranked 1 and 2 respectively and should have met in the finals and not semi-finals?

 

[zeio]

JTTA has an arbitrary seeding system for domestic tournaments, where a group of panelists looks at several factors and then seed accordingly.

⑤ 組合せ委員会規程
https://jtta.s3.ap-northeast-1.amaz...5/27141724/20250315_kitei03_7_Specialty05.pdf

 

[NextLevel]

By the way why did Harimoto and Matsushima faced so soon in the All Japan semi finals. Aren’t they ranked 1 and 2 respectively and should have met in the finals and not semi-finals?

Last year, the 4 semi-finalists were Sora, Shinozuka, Harimoto and Tanigaki. They were seeded 1-4 based on their prior year finishes. They all repeated, so Sora 1, Shinozuka 2, and Harimoto and Tanigaki 3-4. I don't know whether they randomized where they ended up in the draw but I somewhat doubt it since magically Tanigaki had to face Togami like last year and Shinozuka had to face Uda like last year, Something pretty similar happened with the women, the main difference was that Odo and Ito were upset by Kihara and Yokoi and the latter two both made the semis.

 

[zeio]

恭喜张本美和全日锦复仇早田希娜成功 拿下首冠
https://tieba.baidu.com/p/10428968762
当时明日桥 恭喜 张本美和4-3复仇 早田希娜夺冠
全日锦 张本美和复仇早田希娜成功
来自Android客户端1楼2026-01-25 13:20回复
(Congratulations to Harimoto Miwa for avenging her loss to Hayata Hina 4-3 to win
At the Zennihon, Harimoto Miwa successfully avenged her loss to Hayata Hina)

观海ZP 还好第二次10-6拿下了
IP属地:河南来自Android客户端4楼2026-01-25 13:25回复
(Fortunately, she took it at 10:6 the second time)

亚特兰帝斯 挺不容易，果然张本家共享血条
IP属地:北京来自Android客户端6楼2026-01-25 13:31回复
(It's not easy. As expected, the Harimoto family shares a health bar)

贴吧用户_0C7bAC8 献祭亲哥
IP属地:江苏来自iPhone客户端7楼2026-01-25 13:53回复
(Offering her own brother as the sacrifice)

我是一只鱼fish 恭喜美合，多拍能力明显改变，凶减少稳增加，不追求一板过
IP属地:四川来自Android客户端12楼2026-01-25 14:08回复
(Congratulations, Miwa! Her rallying has significantly improved. Aggressive play has decreased while consistency has increased, and she no longer chases after one-shots)

 

[zeio]

🫣

スレ立てるほどでもない大会・海外卓球　女子297
https://itest.5ch.net/mao/test/read.cgi/pingpong/1767985719
0805 名無しＱ(･∀･)ﾉ゜ｻｧﾝ!! 2026/01/25(日) 14:15:25.06
卓球TV"張本美和優勝”フライングw
ID:b7L9ho+t
(Takkyu TV "Winner Harimoto Miwa" flying LOL)

0823 名無しＱ(･∀･)ﾉ゜ｻｧﾝ!! 2026/01/25(日) 14:24:18.51
美和おめ
最終ゲームの序盤は中国トップみたいなエグいギアの上げ方やったな
ID:xaGDym3w(5/10)
(Gratz, Miwa
The beginning of the final game was like the top Chinese player raising her gear in an extreme way)

0872 名無しＱ(･∀･)ﾉ゜ｻｧﾝ!! 2026/01/25(日) 14:53:18.00
どうせ中国に通用しないんだから黄金世代は早くランク落ちて若手がwtt出た方がいいわ
1
ID:50eBuwA5(3/5)
(They won't work against China anyway, so it'd be better if the golden generation dropped in ranking quickly and young players came out in WTT)

0907 名無しＱ(･∀･)ﾉ゜ｻｧﾝ!! 2026/01/25(日) 15:41:50.80
早田は汚いことして勝ったからな
日本人なのに中国人みたいな奴だ
美和とどっちが中国人やねん？
1
ID:69q2liCg(1/3)
(Hayata won by playing dirty
She's Japanese, but acts like a Chinese
Who's Chinese, you or Miwa?)

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

Well that concludes the 2026 All Japan for Singles. Miwa finally got the title she's longed for and confirms her highest world ranking among the Japanese women. Sora wins back to back All Japans. Hina is the 2nd best player right now. Mima's world ranking is a bit higher, but I don't think that will last. Both golden generation players Mima Ito and Miu Hirano were overwhelmed this year . Sakura and Miyuu were knocked off the JNT ,but are making the case that they deserve to be back on it. Sakura, in particular, has gotten much stronger. She's well known for her patented BH rip on receives and in rallies, but her forehand has gotten considerably more potent. There were a lot of great choppers (Honoka, Hitomi, Yuka Kaneyoshi, Yamamuro) which is great to see, but it's a tough life for them competing against compatriots. Even the best ones like Honoka and Hitomi lost 4-0 against the top players. Kudos to Saya Yamamuro for taking Mima Ito to a decider. Finally, 12 yr old Miku Matsushima beating a super seed to make it to top 32 is amazing. It's debatable who was stronger at 12, Miwa or Miku. In any case, the scene is setting up nicely for future battles between the Harimotos and the Matsushimas.

 

[Janard]

Well that concludes the 2026 All Japan. Miwa finally got the title she's longed for and confirms her highest world ranking among the Japanese women. Sora wins back to back All Japans. Hina is the 2nd best player right now. Mima's world ranking is a bit higher, but I don't think that will last. Both golden generation players Mima Ito and Miu Hirano were overwhelmed this year . Sakura and Miyuu were knocked off the JNT ,but are making the case that they deserve to be back on it. Sakura, in particular, has gotten much stronger. She's well known for her patented BH rip on receives and in rallies, but her forehand has gotten considerably more potent. There were a lot of great choppers (Honoka, Hitomi, Yuka Kaneyoshi, Yamamuro) which is great to see, but it's a tough life for them competing against compatriots. Even the best ones like Honoka and Hitomi lost 4-0 against the top players. Kudos to Saya Yamamuro for taking Mima Ito to a decider. Finally, 12 yr old Miku Matsushima beating a super seed to make it to top 32 is amazing. It's debatable who was stronger at 12, Miwa or Miku. In any case, the scene is setting up nicely for future battles between the Harimotos and the Matsushimas.

Since Kihara made it to the SF, does that warrant her a place on the NT?

I feel like I've asked this before, but how does one make the NT?

 

[Takkyu_wa_inochi]

one spot for the winner of All-Japan, one spot for the trials winner and the rest with WR

and if injury/forfeit among those, the coaches decide by themselves.

don't trust, verify

 

[zeio]

Final results and ranking.

天皇杯・皇后杯 2026年全日本卓球選手権大会（一般・ジュニアの部）最終結果・ランキング
https://jtta.or.jp/news/34805
https://jtta.s3.ap-northeast-1.amaz...s/2026/01/25173748/2026alljapan_S_ranking.pdf

【男⼦シングルス】	【⼥⼦シングルス】
1 松島 輝空 （ ⽊下グループ ・ 神奈川 ）	1 張本 美和 （ ⽊下グループ ・ 神奈川 ）
2 篠塚 ⼤登 （ 愛知⼯業⼤ ・ 愛知 ）	2 早⽥ ひな （ ⽇本⽣命 ・ 福岡 ）
3 張本 智和 （ トヨタ⾃動⾞ ・ 宮城 ）	3 横井 咲桜 （ ミキハウス ・ ⼤阪 ）
4 ⾕垣 佑真 （ 愛知⼯業⼤ ・ 愛知 ）	4 ⽊原 美悠 （ トップおとめピンポンズ名古屋 ・ 愛知 ）
5 ⽊造 勇⼈ （ 関⻄卓球アカデミー ・ 宮崎 ）	5 ⼤藤 沙⽉ （ ミキハウス ・ ⼤阪 ）
6 宇⽥ 幸⽮ （ 協和キリン ・ 東京 ）	6 ⻑﨑 美柚 （ ⽊下アビエル神奈川 ・ 神奈川 ）
7 川上 流星 （ 星槎国際⾼横浜 ・ 神奈川 ）	7 佐藤 瞳 （ ⽇本ペイントグループ ・ ⼤阪 ）
8 吉村 真晴 （ ＳＣＯグループ ・ 東京 ）	8 芝⽥ 沙季 （ ⽇本ペイントグループ ・ ⼤阪 ）
9 ⼤島 祐哉 （ 琉球アスティーダ ・ 埼⽟ ）	9 ⾚江 夏星 （ ⽇本⽣命 ・ ⼤阪 ）
10 ⼾上 隼輔 （ 井村屋グループ ・ 東京 ）	10 ⿇⽣ 麗名 （ ⽇本⽣命 ・ ⼤阪 ）
11 濵⽥ ⼀輝 （ 早稲⽥⼤ ・ 東京 ）	11 伊藤 美誠 （ スターツ ・ ⼤阪 ）
12 三部 航平 （ シチズン時計 ・ 東京 ）	12 笹尾 明⽇⾹ （ ⽇本⽣命 ・ ⼤阪 ）
13 ⼩林 広夢 （ ファースト ・ 千葉 ）	13 ⼤野 紗蘭 （ 希望が丘⾼ ・ 福岡 ）
14 笠原 弘光 （ ８８８ＴＡＢＬＥ ＴＥＮＮＩＳ ・ 埼⽟ ）	14 兼吉 優花 （ 中央⼤ ・ 東京 ）
15 吉村 和弘 （ ケアリッツアンドパートナーズ ・ 神奈川 ）	15 平野 美宇 （ ⽊下グループ ・ 神奈川 ）
16 松下 ⼤星 （ ⽇の出医療福祉グループ ・ 兵庫 ）	16 橋本 帆乃⾹ （ デンソーポラリス ・ 静岡 ）

 

[zeio]

Since Kihara made it to the SF, does that warrant her a place on the NT?

I feel like I've asked this before, but how does one make the NT?

The top 4 finishers here are likely secured by the first 2 criteria, top WR100 and then top 16 in singles of Zennihon Takkyu. See below link for more. We'll probably see 7 or 8 of them this time.

https://www.tabletennisdaily.com/fo...er-muscat-2024-28-oct-2-nov.35644/post-489666

https://www.ittf.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2026_4_SEN_WS.html
01 WR07 Harimoto (Zennihon 1)
02 WR09 Ito (11)
03 WR10 Hayata (2)
04 WR11 Hashimoto (16)
05 WR13 Odo (5)
06 WR14 Nagasaki (6)
07 WR22 Kihara (4)
08 WR23 Sato (7)
09 WR32 Yokoi (3)
10 WR37 Akae (9)
11 WR39 Shibata (8)
12 WR51 Hirano (15)

 

[JackJohnson]

Kihara and especially Yokoi have impressed me at this event. If you told me that these 2 players would make it to the semi finals I wouldn’t have believed you.

Yokoi has had some good singles performances recently. Before she was a WD specialist and now she is branching out and trying to be good at singles as well. So proud of the progress she has made recently.

 

[NextLevel]

Well that concludes the 2026 All Japan. Miwa finally got the title she's longed for and confirms her highest world ranking among the Japanese women. Sora wins back to back All Japans. Hina is the 2nd best player right now. Mima's world ranking is a bit higher, but I don't think that will last. Both golden generation players Mima Ito and Miu Hirano were overwhelmed this year . Sakura and Miyuu were knocked off the JNT ,but are making the case that they deserve to be back on it. Sakura, in particular, has gotten much stronger. She's well known for her patented BH rip on receives and in rallies, but her forehand has gotten considerably more potent. There were a lot of great choppers (Honoka, Hitomi, Yuka Kaneyoshi, Yamamuro) which is great to see, but it's a tough life for them competing against compatriots. Even the best ones like Honoka and Hitomi lost 4-0 against the top players. Kudos to Saya Yamamuro for taking Mima Ito to a decider. Finally, 12 yr old Miku Matsushima beating a super seed to make it to top 32 is amazing. It's debatable who was stronger at 12, Miwa or Miku. In any case, the scene is setting up nicely for future battles between the Harimotos and the Matsushimas.

Sora and Harimoto played one of the most intense table tennis matches i have ever seen rivaling (and for me surpassing) the Togami-Harimoto final two years ago. It was clearly the final before the final, I still wonder how Harimoto manages to keep up with some of those balls that Sora is hitting and Sora laser guided balls did lots of damage. The final might have disappointed the fans but it confirmed what I felt watching the match that those two were playing on an astral plane during that match.

Miwa finally wins and I said this before but I hope she sticks with D09c on forehand. Harimoto should should think about equipment changes as well, he is clearly slower to me in the rallies and I am not sure whether it is a power deficit or just technique but even as badly as Shinozuka lost, I didn't feel his ball was slower than Sora the same way I felt Tomo was slower than Sora. But all this portends well for Japan in London, they just need to figure out who their #3 should be, Shinozuka lacks the threat and Togami lacks the variation and shot selection. Uda and Tanaka lack the stability. I would likely start with Uda but he is also the easiest to shut down if his backhand is not working. Hard choices await for Japan. And Franxe, Taiwan, Korea, Sweden and Germany are not sleeping either.

 

[TampaBayTableTennis]

Wow, Sora was a whirlwind in that semifinal. and yet it still ended up that close. testament to both

 

[zeio]

Kihara and especially Yokoi have impressed me at this event. If you told me that these 2 players would make it to the semi finals I wouldn’t have believed you.

Yokoi has had some good singles performances recently. Before she was a WD specialist and now she is branching out and trying to be good at singles as well. So proud of the progress she has made recently.

It came as no surprise as both Kihara and Yokoi have reached this stage before. Kihara has been very consistent since 2019, when she was just ~14.5 years old, only losing to top players. One could argue she is even more consistent than Hayata (first F in 2020), adjusted for age.

Kihara reached F in 2019 (1-4 Ito, 4th WS entry) and 2023 (2-4 Hayata), and SF in 2021 (2-4 Ishikawa) and 2022 (W/O Ito, withdrawing after 0-3 > 4-3 Sato in QF due to fever). She lost in QF to Hashimoto 0-4 in 2020 and Harimoto 0-4 in 2024, and in R16 to Shibata 3-4 in 2025.
Yokoi reached SF in 2023 (1-4 Kihara) and 2024 (0-4 Harimoto). She lost in QF to Ishikawa 1-4 in 2021 (1st WS entry), "boycotted" due to COVID-19 in 2022, and in R16 to I Ayano 3-4 in 2025.

 

[zeio]

Harimoto and Shinopi have something to say about Matsushima's serve...

Harimoto: "I'd have used TTR if it were available."

https://x.com/nikkei_sports/status/2015513620734791957
日経電子版 スポーツ
@nikkei_sports
#全日本卓球 男子準決勝 松島輝空選手4-3張本智和選手　両者が分岐点の1つに挙げたのが第1ゲーム、松島選手0-6からのサービスでした。立ち位置や踏み込む脚を変えて2連続得点。ジュースの末にゲームを奪った松島選手は「諦めないで色々考え、工夫した」と振り返りました。
https://nikkei.com/article/DGXZQODH2511M0V20C26A1000000/

1/
From nikkei.com
3:54 AM · Jan 26, 2026 · 4,207 Views

https://x.com/nikkei_sports/status/2015515873684210003
日経電子版 スポーツ
@nikkei_sports
張本選手は「あの変え方は初めて見た。簡単に2本取られてもったいなかった。トスもあまり上がっていなかったと思う。もし（ビデオ判定システムの）TTRがあれば使っていたかなと思うくらい」などとコメント。WTTで同システムに慣れていることもあってか「対応が遅れて悔しい」と話していました。

2/2
4:03 AM · Jan 26, 2026 · 20.1K Views

 

[Janard]

Harimoto and Shinopi have something to say about Matsushima's serve...

Harimoto: "I'd have used TTR if it were available."

https://x.com/nikkei_sports/status/2015513620734791957
日経電子版 スポーツ
@nikkei_sports
#全日本卓球 男子準決勝 松島輝空選手4-3張本智和選手　両者が分岐点の1つに挙げたのが第1ゲーム、松島選手0-6からのサービスでした。立ち位置や踏み込む脚を変えて2連続得点。ジュースの末にゲームを奪った松島選手は「諦めないで色々考え、工夫した」と振り返りました。
https://nikkei.com/article/DGXZQODH2511M0V20C26A1000000/

1/
From nikkei.com
3:54 AM · Jan 26, 2026 · 4,207 Views

https://x.com/nikkei_sports/status/2015515873684210003
日経電子版 スポーツ
@nikkei_sports
張本選手は「あの変え方は初めて見た。簡単に2本取られてもったいなかった。トスもあまり上がっていなかったと思う。もし（ビデオ判定システムの）TTRがあれば使っていたかなと思うくらい」などとコメント。WTTで同システムに慣れていることもあってか「対応が遅れて悔しい」と話していました。

2/2
4:03 AM · Jan 26, 2026 · 20.1K Views

But... He is just learning from WR#1.

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

Hina using Zyre 03 on the BH at the All Japan

 

[kindof99]

Hina using Zyre 03 on the BH at the All Japan

And she lost in the final

 

[pongfugrasshopper]

Hina has high praise for Miwa...

[Table Tennis] 17-year-old All-Japan champion Miwa Harimoto and Hina Hayata talk about her strength. "Compared to the Japanese players I've played against so far..."