Three weeks ago champions of The 5th All Japan Open Fullcontact organisation where crowned. And in the same time top fighters that will represent Japan in the 12th World Open Karate Championship later this year. In other words these top fighters will be facing the best fighters from all over the world – and when we look at the settings for the 5th All Japan Open – the tournament remind us just like the World Championship will be – thinking of the two days of fighting and the number of fights one have to fight – aiming for the top spot.
In such big tournament as this – or the 12th World Championship i going to be, there are no doubt that one do have to be a complete fighter. You will face so many different fighters that your “top game” must be the best – and your ability to adapt and make changes if necessary. In in that case this tournament 5th JFKO All Japan Open would be very much alike the setting of the World Championship as mention.
Open Japan Fullcontact Karate Organisation JFKO info, videos etc:
Diving into the lightest category for men, everyone was expecting high speed fighting – and so it was!
With 108 fighters in the category, this was the largest category, and the line up was filled with high merited fighters. In the final Kouki Oishi Ashihara-Kaikan manage to win the final and became the champion for the second time, as he also did win The 1st All japan Open Fullcontact Championship back in 2014. He has also manage to be on the podium in the 3rd and 4th edition.
In the middleweight category Ryuki Ushirosako, (17 years) Shinkyokushinkai, became the champion. Many outside Japan wondered who this fighter was after winning the championship – and being a less known name than many others. This young fighter have notables wins from before, and for us that have been following the All japan tournaments did he get our attention in the 49th All Japan Open Weight when he fought and won against highly merited All Japan Champion Kazuhito Yamada. Ushirosako did also win the karate Dream festival in 2018.
This time many assumed that the highly favorite Yuto Fukuchi, Byakuren-Kaikan, would be the champion – being the reign 1st WFKO International Tournament champion, and the 4th JFKO All japan Open champion. Yuto Fukuchi was the first fighter that represented Japan through this cooperation. Winning the 29th All japan Open Shinkyokushin in 2012, he became one in the team that represented Japan in the World Cup in Lithuania 2013. This time the multiply champion lost against the new champion – Ushirosako in the quarter final.
In the light heavyweight category did the 3rd JFKO All Japan Weight Tournament champion Shota Maeda, Shinkyokushinkai, conquer the tittle. Ending 3rd in last years 1st WFKO International Tournament, where Daiki Kato became the champion. This time they switched places, Maeda on the top spot, Kato in 3rd. In the final against another top fighter: Yuto Eguchi. Yuto Eguchi on his side manage to beat Kato on his way to the final. The 4th place went to Kazufumi Shimamoto, after loosing his 3rd place fight to Kato. All four will represent Japan in the 12th World Championship.
In the heaviest category, some really heavy hitters collided! The power in the heavier categories are no surprise – but more and more the speed and variation, more and more dynamic fighting are very impressing to see. The pace, or changing the pace would be the main factor in this final, in an category that once again showed a impressive line up! Syota Yamaguchi ,Byakuren-Kaikan, reign champion of the 4th JFKO All Japan Weight Tournament (2017) The other finalist, winner of 45th All Japan back in 2013, Kosei Ochiai. Both very heavy handed – and very experienced. Both will represent Japan in the 12th World Championship.