Equipment Breakdown of the All-Japan Women's Singles Top 16 (2026)

Originally published 2026-03-06 · Translated & republished with permission

The numbers are their finishes at the All-Japan Championships. Last issue I finished the men’s piece; this one is the women’s. Knowing the info is one thing — mainly, you can analyze gear while watching matches, which adds its own fun.

1. Miwa Harimoto: Harimoto SALC, D09c, D05

Same period last year: Harimoto SALC, D05 on both sides. Though her blade matches her brother’s, her rubber choices trend toward a different style. Now, whether her forehand is D05, ZYRE-03 or D09c, it seems not to change the results. Gear choice is very personal; one’s inner feel matters. Speaking of the Harimoto SALC, or the Donic Lind, or my own Miao — these high-tolerance, steady blades, paired with sharp rubber, can still get the job done. The blade need not be so fierce. That is one consensus of the new era.

2. Hina Hayata: Hayata H2, NEO Blue National Hurricane, ZYRE-03

Same period last year: Hayata H2, NEO Blue National Hurricane, D09c. Switching from the lightly-tacky D09c to the tensor ZYRE-03, ball-holding basically did not drop.

3. Sakura Yokoi: Fan Zhendong SALC, D09c, D09c

Same period last year: same. Odo and Yokoi once used the tension-type tensor D05, but later both moved to the lightly-tacky spin-type D09c. Their coach Sakamoto Ryusuke said that because the rubber is spin-type, speed drops, so the blade had to switch to something springier. Odo uses the Harimoto SZLC, while Yokoi uses the Fan Zhendong SALC.

4. Kihara Miyuu: Tibhar Kihara Miyuu BINGO, K3 Pro, Speedy Soft D.TecS (2.0mm)

Same period last year: W968, NEO Blue National Hurricane, Impartial XS. Her result even improved (10th last year). Players really adapt well to gear.

5. Satsuki Odo: Harimoto SZLC, D09c, D09c

Same period last year: same.

6. Nagasaki Miyu: Harimoto SALC, T05 Hard, D05

Same period last year: Innerforce Layer ALC, T05 Hard, D05. She improved over the past year, with errors trending down. If we go by gear alone, the Harimoto SALC really does speed up more easily under medium power while keeping high tolerance, compared to the Inner ALC.

7. Sato Hitomi: Diode V (Butterfly’s attacking chopping blade), D09c, Curl P1V

Same period last year: Goriki Super Cut, D09c, DO Knuckle (thickness: medium).

8. Shibata Saki: S968, NEO Blue National Hurricane, Nittaku Genextion V2C

Same period last year: W968, NEO Blue National Hurricane, Hurricane 8-80. The V2C is Nittaku’s lightly-tacky flagship.

9. Akae Kasei: Fan Zhendong ALC, NEO Blue National Hurricane, D09c

Same period last year: Harimoto SZLC, D09c, D09c.

10. Aso Reina: 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>102

Have you noticed many backhand-pips players like inner yellow-arylate-carbon blades? I think the backhand just needs getting used to; the forehand matters more, and such inner blades (W968, Heima refined-craft KLC, North Korea custom 520X) are more destructive than outer blades when backed off the table.