The following piece is part of a series of profiles prepared for the World Flying Disc Federation.
Team Profile: Japan “Hayate” swift wind
“Japanese teams have been steadily growing to compete internationally since the early 2000s and have seen successful results lately,” explains team representative Makoto Ohi. “Especially last year when the Japan Women’s team won the gold medal at WFDF Worlds in Sakai [over Team USA represented by Fury, it should be noted].”
“Winning allowed us to feel that our independent tactics and style of Japanese play can be successful,” says Ohi. “However, Japanese teams have never won gold at The World Games [they did win silver in 2009]. To become the ultimate “ultimate team of Japan” we would like to win the gold medal in Cali!”
“The Japanese team members were selected from top-class teams in Japan specifically for World Games 2013. The team started in January 2013 and final members were decided in May 2013 through strict selection,” says Ohi. “This team shoulders the hopes of Japanese ultimate players around the country. Go! Hayate Japan!”
Roster
| First Name | Last Name |
No. # |
Gen |
Height | Exp. | Position |
| Mizuho | TANAKA |
2 |
M |
178 cm | 13 yrs | Handler |
| Yasuo | TAKAHASHI |
3 |
M |
168 cm | 12 yrs | Handler |
| Keiko | OTSU |
5 |
F |
157 cm | 9 yrs | Handler |
| Masashi | KURONO |
6 |
M |
179 cm | 7 yrs | Cutter |
| Sanako | INOMATA |
7 |
F |
160 cm | 10 yrs | Cutter |
| Madoka | ITO |
9 |
F |
154 cm | 16 yrs | Cutter |
| Masahiro | MATSUNO |
10 |
M |
171 cm | 12 yrs | Handler |
| Eri | ENZU |
11 |
F |
153 cm | 14 yrs | Handler |
| Kaori | NAMIKIRI |
12 |
F |
155 cm | 10 yrs | Cutter |
| Akina | FUJIKAWA |
16 |
M |
161 cm | 9 yrs | Handler |
| Satoru | SAMESHIMA |
17 |
M |
177 cm | 14 yrs | Cutter |
| Keiichiro | SHIBA |
97 |
M |
178 cm | 6 yrs | Cutter |
| Takanori | FURUZAWA |
99 |
M |
175 cm | 6 yrs | Cutter |
Team Colors: BLUE and WHITE
Club and Country Experience
Players on Hayate normally compete for club teams Buzz Bullets, UNO, HUCK, and MUD. Additionally, all of the players competing for Team Japan played last year in Sakai at the 2012 WFDF World Ultimate & Guts Championship. Several also competed at 2008 WFDF Worlds in Vancouver: Mizuho Tanaka, Masashi Kurono, Masahiro Matsuno, Eri Enzu and Satoru Sameshima.
Recent Team Japan International Results
2012 WFDF World Championships, Sakai, Japan
Open: 5th Women: Gold Mixed: Bronze
2009 The World Games, Kaoshing City, Taiwan — Silver
2008 WFDF World Championships, Vancouver, Canada
Open: Bronze Women: Silver Mixed: Silver
2005 The World Games Duisburg Germany — 5th place
2004 WFDF World Championships Turku, Finland
Open: 5th Women: 4th Mixed: 8th
2001 The World Games, Akita, Japan — Bronze
Other Notable International Wins
2011 Asia Oceania Championships — Open: Gold Mixed: Gold
2009 AOUCC — Open: Gold
2007 AOUC — Mixed: Gold
2006 WUCC — Open: Gold Women: Gold Open Masters: Gold
Style of Play
Over the years Japanese players have faced significant height mismatches that have resulted in losses despite fielding superior throwers and cutters. But where there is weakness there can be found strength and Japan has found it in utilizing what they call a “speedy pass offense” or “Hayate offense” in which the disc moves quickly and effectively to either side of the field. Look for Japan’s super-quick offense to dictate the pace of the game if they can stay on break.
On defense, Japan will feature (like most teams) different methods depending on their opponents. Obviously there are certain matches that the Japanese will want to exploit and their speed at all positions will provide them with their best chance at creating turnovers.
Top Defenders
- Satoru Sameshima #17 — sophisticated one-on-one man defender
- Keiichiro Shiba #97 — layout diving blocks put the buzz in Buzz Bullets.
Top Throwers
- Mizuho Tanaka #2 — backhand breakmarks
- Akina Fujikawa #16 — deep forehand hucks
Top Receivers
- Sanako Inomata #7 — great speed and excellent timing
- Madoka Ito #9 — might be the quickest female player in the world, certainly at the top of her class in speed
Coaches and Captains
- Coaches: #14 Takatoshi Saito #15 Yuki Mori, #66 Tetsuya Tatehora
- Captains: Satoru Sameshima, Eri Enzu
“Almost all players start playing ultimate at the university level,” says team representative Makoto Ohi. This is why many of Japan’s best teams are actually university teams or university alumni teams (MUD is an example). Also, interestingly enough, most of these university ultimate practices happen at the banks of rivers.
Ohi explains Japan’s strength on the field in the quest for the gold:
“Running is one of the primary strengths of Japan. We have to run, run and run on the ultimate field to win the gold medal. And not just sometimes, but running a lot more than any other country,” Ohi explains. “Always running is what Japanese ultimate is about.”
Favorite Part About Ultimate?
“Ultimate is not a famous sport in Japan and thus game tactics aren’t established,” says Ohi. “So we’re able to create new, innovative tactics by ourselves that haven’t been pioneered before. It’s difficult, but so fun for us!”
Ultimate Players in Country
About 3,000 people play in Japan.
Pick One World Games Sport to Watch After Ultimate
Sumo: Sumo is the national sport of Japan.
Follow team Japan:
Facebook: JapanUltimate
Web: japanultimate.jp/web/index.php/oldnews/152-0516hayatejapan
Twitter : @JapanUltimate
Youtube : youtube.com/user/JapanUltimate
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