Day two in Japan: titles decided deep into Golden Score

Day two of the All Japan Championships leaned hard into the sport’s most intense territory: Golden Score. Several finals stayed locked for so long that the medals were ultimately decided by Shido, turning every grip exchange into a high-stakes moment.

Riku Okada (Asahi Kasei) secured the -90 kg gold after a tight final against Hidetoshi Tokumochi (Keiyo Gas Co) that went all the way into Golden Score and ended on penalties. It wasn’t a finish built around one big throw, but around control, patience, and avoiding the mistake that would decide everything.

Golden Score didn’t just break ties—it decided championships.

The standout technical sequence came at -100 kg, where Yuta Kasai (Toyota Tsusho Corporation) found the winning edge against Ko Nakayama (Keiyo Gas Co). Kasai attacked with Kouchi-gari, Nakayama tried to answer with a footsweep, and then Kasai slipped the counter and used Tewaza to take him down for Waza-ari. That single score was enough to carry Kasai to the title.

At +100 kg, the heavyweight final followed the same razor-thin script as -90 kg. Kanta Nakano (Asahi Kasei) edged Hyoga Ota (Asahi Kasei) by penalties in Golden Score, a result shaped by pressure and tactical discipline rather than a decisive throw in regular time.

The women’s finals added a sharper burst of scoring in overtime. In -63 kg, Minami Aono (Fukuoka Police) delivered a clean Uchi-mata for Ippon in Golden Score to beat Megu Danno (Komatsu). In -70 kg, Moka Kuwagata (Park 24) claimed gold with Sumi-otoshi for Yuko against Utana Terada (JR East). The -78 kg title went to Mizuki Sugimura (Park 24), who scored Yuko with O-soto-makikomi against Rinoko Wada (Park 24) in Golden Score. The day finished with a marathon at +78 kg, where Akira Sone (Park 24) outlasted Miki Mukunoki (Buy Technology Co) in a very long Golden Score, taking the win on penalties.

When the clock stops mattering, composure becomes the real weapon.

Source: JudoInside