Japan Championship 2026

Matty Hiroto Inaba delivered an emphatic performance in Daito, Osaka, Japan, securing the premier title with a 5.83 average on the classic Rubik's Cube. Across two competitive rounds, Inaba outpaced a field of 95 solvers, closing out the final ahead of India's Amey Gaba and Japan's Kantaro Sakamoto. The cut structure of the multi-round format rewarded unyielding consistency under pressure, ensuring that only the most stable averages survived into the final round. Held on July 18–19 at the Daito Civic Hall, the Japan Championship 2026 brought together 138 competitors across 16 official events and 27 rounds of high-stakes speedcubing.

The two-round format tested nerve and endurance across all the core disciplines at this premier cubing competition. In the headlining 3x3 results, Ao Nogami made history during the early stages by setting Japanese national records with a 4.75 single and a 6.31 average. When the field narrowed to the final round, Inaba demonstrated supreme composure, pairing a tournament-best 5.38 single with his 5.83 winning mark. Gaba claimed the runner-up spot on the podium with a 6.40 average, while Sakamoto registered a 6.99 average to earn third place for the host country.

Beyond the traditional cube, the weekend showcased dramatic shifts between multi-round sprints and single-round endurance finals. In the 2x2x2 Cube, Jacob Joshi of Australia took gold across two rounds with a sharp 1.41 average, narrowly besting Ao Nogami's 1.48 and Shota Fukuoka's 1.95. Nogami left an undeniable mark on the event by logging Japanese national records for both single and average, clocking 0.86 and 1.19 respectively. In the single-round 7x7x7 Cube final, Kohei Aruga mastered the direct-to-podium format, setting double national records for Japan with a 2:01.07 single and a 2:03.04 winning average.

Blindfolded solving and large cubes similarly separated the most adaptable solvers through demanding round constraints. Keita Hayakawa proved unstoppable in the memory categories, sweeping all three individual blindfolded events. Hayakawa established a Japanese national record average of 16.82 to win 3x3x3 Blindfolded, followed by a victory in 4x4x4 Blindfolded with a 1:45.86 single. In the single-round 5x5x5 Blindfolded event, Hayakawa added another national record single of 3:45.72. Meanwhile, Shiori Yanai demonstrated exceptional stamina in 3x3x3 Multi-Blind, securing first place by successfully resolving 33 out of 40 cubes in 56:48.

Big cube dominance belonged to Inaba throughout the competition, proving his technical superiority across varied round lengths. In the two-round 4x4x4 Cube, Inaba captured the title with a 21.27 average, finishing ahead of Gaba's 28.32 and Takeru Iguchi's 29.91. Inaba followed that triumph with a gold in the two-round 5x5x5 Cube, averaging 41.04 to top Shu Ogawa's 50.95 and Gaba's 51.30. He sealed a fourth victory in the single-round 6x6x6 Cube final with a 1:23.29 average, demonstrating seamless transitions between rapid sprints and prolonged puzzle solving.

Away from the top of the podium, several competitors made monumental personal strides throughout the weekend. Masayuki Yasui delivered the event's most dramatic surge, taking on three events and slashing his 2x2x2 Cube personal best to 1.52, an improvement of 63.8 percent over his previous mark of 4.20, alongside a 4.03 personal best in Pyraminx and a 20.18 in 3x3x3 One-Handed. Iori Ikezaki focused entirely on the 3x3x3 Cube and achieved a notable personal best of 7.67, which was 22.6 percent faster than his previous best of 9.91. Ryo Otsuki tackled three events and dropped his 4x4x4 Cube best to 37.33, cutting 19.8 percent off his earlier 46.55 mark, while also securing a 1:08.89 personal best in 5x5x5 Cube.

The progress continued across various disciplines as competitors capitalized on their competition opportunities. Yuya Sakai entered five events, highlighted by a 7th place finish in Square-1, a 56.08 personal best in 5x5x5 Cube that was 16.3 percent faster than before, a 6.06 personal best in 3x3x3 Cube, and a 32.24 in 4x4x4 Cube. Ryota Yuzawa took on four events and placed 5th in 5x5x5 Cube with a 47.80 personal best, an improvement of 15.4 percent, while also dropping his 3x3x3 Cube mark by 13.3 percent to 6.70. Yoshito Nishikawa also completed four events, finishing 16th in 7x7x7 Cube with a 2:58.50 best, improving his 4x4x4 Cube time by 13.9 percent to 32.98, and registering 10.18 in 3x3x3 Cube.

Specialty disciplines provided thrilling finales as top specialists traded record-breaking attempts in front of the Daito audience. Takumi Kato won the two-round 3x3x3 One-Handed event, setting a Japanese national record average of 9.68 to edge Masaya Nakamoto and Inaba. In Pyraminx, Takahiro Aoki set a Japanese national record single of 1.20, though Nice Yoshida took the championship title with a 2.30 average. Noriyuki Okada secured the Skewb title with a 2.19 average, Shoi Hamaguchi won Clock in 4.20, and Makoto Takaoka topped Square-1 averaging 7.85.

The official WCA competition concluded with Japan capturing 35 total podium placements, accompanied by strong showings from the United States, India, Australia, and Chinese Taipei. Across every bracket, the rigorous round cuts rewarded precision and mental fortitude in equal measure. As another chapter of high-level speed cubing in Osaka draws to a close, the Japan Championship 2026 will stand out for its remarkable national records, masterclass performances, and the widespread personal breakthroughs achieved across all 16 events.

大阪府大東市の大東市民会館の競技エリアには、タイマーの作動音とプラスチックパズルが擦れ合う乾いた回転音が響き渡っていました。2026年7月18日から19日にかけて開催されたJapan Championship 2026には138人の選手が集い、16種目27ラウンドにわたって研鑽の成果を競い合いました。スピードキューブの最高峰を争う場として、会場は終始緊迫した空気に包まれていました。

とりわけ注目を集めたのが3x3x3片手部門でした。指先の滑らかなテーブルワークと手首の繊細なスライドを必要とするこの種目では、加藤匠（Takumi Kato）が見事な技術を披露しました。加藤匠（Takumi Kato）は平均9.68秒という日本記録を樹立して優勝を飾り、2位の中本誠也（Masaya Nakamoto）の10.66秒、3位のMatty Hiroto Inabaの11.62秒を抑えて頂点に立ちました。

メイン種目のルービックキューブ（3x3x3 Cube）では、Matty Hiroto Inabaが決勝で平均5.83秒を記録して優勝しました。2位には6.40秒でAmey Gaba、3位には6.99秒で坂本貫太郎（Kantaro Sakamoto）が入りました。また、予選ラウンドでは野上碧（Ao Nogami）が単発4.75秒および平均6.31秒の日本新記録を樹立して会場を沸かせました。

Matty Hiroto Inabaの快進撃は複数種目に及び、4x4x4 Cubeで平均21.27秒、5x5x5 Cubeで平均41.04秒、6x6x6 Cubeでも平均1:23.29を記録して4冠を達成しました。2x2x2 CubeではJacob Joshiが平均1.41秒で制し、2位の野上碧（Ao Nogami）は単発0.86秒と平均1.19秒の日本新記録をマークしました。

目隠し種目では早川慶太（Keita Hayakawa）が圧倒的な記憶力と正確性を発揮しました。3x3x3 Blindfolded決勝で日本新記録となる平均16.82秒をマークして優勝したほか、4x4x4 Blindfoldedを単発1:45.86、5x5x5 Blindfoldedでも日本新記録となる単発3:45.72で制し、ブラインド3種目を完全制覇しました。3x3x3 Multi-BlindではShiori Yanaiが33/40（56分48秒）で優勝を収めました。

順位表の上位争いだけでなく、大会の各テーブルでは自己記録の更新に挑む確かな前進が見られました。長谷川蒼（Soh Hasegawa）は出場4種目のうちSquare-1で従来の11.10秒から19パーセント短縮する8.99秒の自己新記録をマークしました。國分優太（Yuta Kokubu）はMegaminxで従来の49.64秒から18.9パーセント短縮となる40.27秒を叩き出し、同種目6位に入賞しました。

さらに中村祥嗣（Akitsugu Nakamura）は3x3x3 Blindfoldedで従来の32.92秒から17.1パーセント縮める27.28秒の自己記録を達成し7位となりました。小谷慶人（Yoshito Kotani）は5種目に挑みMegaminxで従来の55.13秒から16.7パーセント短縮の45.94秒をマークしたほかSquare-1で5位、Skewbで自己ベスト5.56秒を記録しました。林昱丞（Yu-Cheng Lin）は3x3x3片手で従来の23.13秒から11.7パーセント短縮の20.43秒を記録し、松山聖哉（Seiya Matsuyama）は4x4x4で従来の37.07秒から9.8パーセント短縮する33.43秒をマークしたほかMegaminxで35.66秒を記録して4位入賞を果たしました。

その他の種目でも好記録が続出し、7x7x7 Cubeでは有賀康平（Kohei Aruga）が単発2:01.07および平均2:03.04の日本記録で優勝しました。Megaminxは平井雅之（Masayuki Hirai）が平均34.93秒、Square-1は高岡誠（Makoto Takaoka）が平均7.85秒、Pyraminxは吉田名偉主（Nice Yoshida）が平均2.30秒、Skewbは岡田典之（Noriyuki Okada）が平均2.19秒、Clockは濱口翔偉（Shoi Hamaguchi）が平均4.20秒でそれぞれタイトルを獲得しました。Pyraminxでは青木尊弘（Takahiro Aoki）が単発1.20秒の日本記録を樹立しました。

世界キューブ協会公認大会として大東市で開催されたJapan Championship 2026は、日本勢が35個の表彰台を獲得し、数々の国内新記録とともに幕を閉じました。選手一人ひとりの技術と鍛錬の成果が余すところなく発揮された2日間となりました。