Equipment Breakdown: Women's Top 16 at the 2026 All-Japan Championships
The numbers represent each player’s finishing rank at the All-Japan Championships. After covering the men’s side last time, here’s the women’s breakdown. Knowing the gear is one thing — the real fun is watching matches with this information in mind.
1. Harimoto Miu: Harimoto Tomokazu SALC, D09c, D05
Previous year: Harimoto Tomokazu SALC, two sides D05
Same blade as her brother, but her rubber choices are diverging in style. At this point it seems like whether she uses D05, Z03, or D09c on the forehand, the results don’t change much. Equipment is a personal thing — what feels right internally matters most.
The Harimoto SALC, Donic Linde, or the Black Horse Miao — these forgiving, consistent blades can absolutely deliver with aggressive rubbers. The blade doesn’t have to be fierce. That’s one of the new-era consensuses.
2. Hayata Hina: Hayata Hina H2, NEO Blue National Hurricane, Z03
Previous year: Hayata Hina H2, NEO Blue National Hurricane, D09c
Switched from the semi-tacky D09c to the grippy Z03, with almost no drop in ball-holding capacity.
3. Yokoi Sakura: Fan Zhendong SALC, D09c, D09c
Previous year: Same
Both Otofuji Satsuki and Yokoi Sakura used to use the high-tension grippy rubber D05, but later both switched to the semi-tacky spin rubber D09c. Their coach, Sakamoto Ryusuke, explained that because the rubber is spin-oriented, ball speed dropped, so the blade needed to be more high-powered. Otofuji moved to Harimoto Tomokazu SZLC, and Yokoi moved to Fan Zhendong SALC.
4. Kihara Miyuu: Tibhar Kihara Miyuu BINGO, K3 Pro, Speedy Soft D.TecS (2.0mm)
Previous year: W968, NEO Blue National Hurricane, Impartial XS
And she improved — she was 10th last year. Players really do adapt to equipment remarkably well.
5. Otofuji Satsuki: Harimoto Tomokazu SZLC, D09c, D09c
Previous year: Same
6. Nagasaki Miyu: Harimoto Tomokazu SALC, T05 Hard, D05
Previous year: Innerforce Layer ALC, T05 Hard, D05
She has improved over the past year, with fewer errors. From a pure equipment standpoint, the Harimoto SALC does offer easier acceleration at medium power compared to the Innerforce ALC, while maintaining high consistency.
7. Sato Hitomi: Diode V (Butterfly’s Diode, attack-style chopper blade), D09c, Curl P1V
Previous year: Goriki Super Cut, D09c, DO Knuckle (medium thickness)
8. Shida Saki: S968, NEO Blue National Hurricane, Nittaku GENEXTION V2C
Previous year: W968, NEO Blue National Hurricane, Hurricane 8-80
The V2C is Nittaku’s semi-tacky flagship rubber.
9. Akae Kasei: Fan Zhendong ALC, NEO Blue National Hurricane, D09c
Previous year: Harimoto Tomokazu SZLC, D09c, D09c
10. Aso Rena: Fan Zhendong ZLC, NEO Blue National Hurricane, D09c
11. Ito Mima: Ito Mima Carbon, G-1, Moristo SP short pips
12. Sasao Asuka: W968, D09c, VO greater than 102
Have you noticed that many players who use pips on the backhand tend to favor inner green fiber carbon blades? In my view, the backhand side is just a matter of getting used to it. The forehand is where these inner carbon blades — W968, Black Horse custom KLC, North Korea special 520X — really shine in mid-distance power plays compared to outer carbon.
13. Ono Saran: S968, G-1, G-1
14. Kaneyoshi Yuka: Goriki Super Cut, Spinpips D3 (0.5mm), Curl P1V (0.5mm)
A chopper with long pips on both sides.