Japan arrived in Shenzhen with a tight four: Team Mahi Kohi, named for its women’s duo Honoka Kobayashi and Mahiro Fukuhara, alongside men’s anchors Yuta Yoshida and Rikuto Kurosawa. The brief was simple: compete, adapt, and represent. Across five days, they did all three - with results that hinted at an even higher ceiling when fully fit.
Group Play Sparks: Day 1
Mahi Kohi opened with a 4–0 sweep of a China side, then delivered the day’s showpiece against the Philippines’ PickleYard PH - a 2–2 draw that felt like a trailer for a semifinal or final we didn’t get. Japan closed Day 1 with a 3–1 over Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and another 3–1 against a China team, banking momentum and seeding.
Statement Wins and a Dreambreaker Edge: Day 2
Japan thumped two more China squads 4–0, 4–0 to start Day 2, then survived a thriller in the Round of 16 versus Team TSMA (Thailand). That tie went to a Dreambreaker - the rotating singles tiebreak - and Japan held nerve to take it 3–2, securing a quarterfinal berth on Day 3. The marquee draw with PickleYard a day earlier had already whetted appetites for a rematch.
A Brave Quarterfinal Exit and the Context That Matters
As the tournament wore on, illness swept through Japan’s lineup. Traveling without a large entourage or home crowd, the quartet kept suiting up and pushing through. In the quarterfinal, Team Shenyang (China), who would go on to finish runner-up, shut the door 3–0. Even so, Japan’s fight, under the weather yet unbowed, earned respect across the venue.
Final result: 8th overall, $6,000 prize.
Japan’s Team Mahi Kohi
The women at the heart of Mahi Kohi gave the team its name and much of its identity. Mahiro Fukuhara continues to climb the regional ranks; her singles pedigree includes a run to the WPC Korea final against Hong Kong’s Rachel Lam, a result that underscores her engine and shot tolerance. Alongside her, Honoka Kobayashi brings a polished read of pace shaped by an ITF tennis background - skills that translate cleanly into doubles-first tactics and disciplined work at the kitchen.
On the men’s side, Yuta Yoshida is one of Japan’s most visible leaders. He captained a national squad to the PJF Burger King Cup title and remains a fixture in federation spotlights - steady hands, calm voice, big moments. Rikuto Kurosawa complements that with a dual role as player and coach from Ibaraki, part of a growing wave of athlete-coaches powering Japan’s grassroots and competitive pipeline.
Why This Run Matters for Japan Pickleball
Proof of depth under pressure. Mahi Kohi stacked six group wins/draws in two days, including that compelling split with PickleYard, before outlasting Thailand in a Dreambreaker. That matters because it shows Japan can bank points across men’s, women’s, and mixed pairings, even when the roster isn’t at 100 percent.
Leaders emerging. Yoshida’s recent captaincy and podiums signal an on-court organizer Japan can lean on, while Fukuhara’s singles pedigree gives the team Dreambreaker options. Kobayashi’s tennis background brings pace and reads to doubles formations; Kurosawa’s coach-player role plugs directly into domestic growth.
Resilience by necessity. No big entourage, no home crowd - just four athletes grinding through a tough week and competing with poise. The quarterfinal loss to a finalist-caliber Shenyang looks different in that light.
Looking Forward for PCL Asia Season 3
If eighth place at less than full health is the baseline, the upside is obvious. Give this group recovery time, regular international reps, and Mahi Kohi projects as a top-four threat in Season 3. And yes, that unfinished 2–2 with PickleYard PH deserves a bigger stage.
