Crest
| |||
| Founded | 2019 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Manager | Hideo Suzuki | ||
| Captain | Ohshima Kyoka | ||
| Website | Club home page | ||
| Uniforms | |||
| |||
| Championships | |||
| 1 | |||
 2023 PVL Invitational Conference | |||
The Kurashiki Ablaze is a Japanese professional women's volleyball team from Kurashiki, Okayama.
It is a volleyball club from Kurashiki City, Okayama, Japan founded in 2019.[1] Kurashiki Ablaze is operated by Ablaze Co., Ltd. that is located in Minamiune, Kurashiki, Okayama.[2]
Kurashiki won bronze medal in 13th National 6-Person Final League & Grand Champion Match Awards in Japan.[3]
They would join the Premier Volleyball League in the Philippines as one of the two foreign guest teams for the 2023 Invitational Conference.[4][5][6] They also beat the undefeated 6 year semi finals no loss place of Creamline Cool Smashers.[7][8] Kurashiki won their first title in the PVL against the Creamline Cool Smashers in five-set match.[9] After the awards ceremony, Kurashiki helped to clean the PhilSports Arena that caught the attention of the Creamline Cool Smashers team manager Alan Acero.[10]
Sports Vision president Ricky Palou and the head coach of Kurashiki Ablaze Hideo Suzuki confirmed that Kurashiki Ablaze will return in 2024 to defend their PVL Invitation Conference crown.[11][12]
The meaning of ABLAZE to the team refers to "passion", "excitement", and "burning".[13]
These are the players for 2023/2024:
| Kurashiki Ablaze | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Player | Position | Height | Birth date | School |
| 1 |  Wako Omura |
Setter | 1.61 m (5 ft 3 in) | (2001-06-15) 15 June 2001 (age 23) | Okayama Minami High School |
| 2 | Saya Taniguchi |
Opposite Hitter | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | (2000-08-12) 12 August 2000 (age 23) | Kyoto Tachibana University |
| 3 | Kyoka Ohshima(C)
|
Setter | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | (1998-02-02) 2 February 1998 (age 26) | Tokyo Women's College of Physical Education |
| 4 | Sayaka Tanida |
Outside Hitter | 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in) | (2000-10-31) 31 October 2000 (age 23) | Seishin Girl's High School |
| 5 | Momoka Yashimiro |
Libero | 1.58 m (5 ft 2 in) | (1998-09-20) 20 September 1998 (age 25) | Chūgoku Gakuen University |
| 7 | Ayane Wanatabe |
Libero | 1.52 m (5 ft 0 in) | (2002-11-03) 3 November 2002 (age 21) | Seiei High School |
| 9 | Kaoru Takahashi |
Libero | 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in) | (1998-05-26) 26 May 1998 (age 26) | Chūgoku Gakuen University |
| 10 | Yukino Yano |
Outside Hitter | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) | (2000-03-01) 1 March 2000 (age 24) | Nagasaki International University |
| 11 | Akane Hiraoka |
Middle Blocker | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | (1999-11-04) 4 November 1999 (age 24) | Fukuyama Heisei University |
| 12 | Asaka Tamaru |
Opposite Hitter | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | (1998-08-04) 4 August 1998 (age 25) | Kyoto Sangyo University |
| 13 | Miho Kawamura |
Middle Blocker | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | (1999-09-13) 13 September 1999 (age 24) | Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences |
| 16 | Saki Tanabe |
Opposite Hitter | 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in) | (1999-03-30) 30 March 1999 (age 25) | National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya |
| 17 | Mihaya Hata |
Middle Blocker | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | (2002-09-11) 11 September 2002 (age 21) | Eimei High School |
| 18 | Reina Fujiwara |
Opposite Hitter | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | (1997-10-25) 25 October 1997 (age 26) | International Pacific University |
| 20 | Nana Fujimura |
Libero | 1.57 m (5 ft 2 in) | (2004-12-14) 14 December 2004 (age 19) | Okayama Minami High School |
| 23 | Honoka Okuda |
Libero | 1.61 m (5 ft 3 in) | (2003-07-19) 19 July 2003 (age 20) | Okayama Minami High School |
Coaching staff
| Kurashiki Ablaze | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Player | Position | Height | Birth date | School |
| 1 | Wako Omura |
Setter | 1.61 m (5 ft 3 in) | (2001-06-15) 15 June 2001 (age 23) | Okayama Minami High School |
| 2 | Saya Taniguchi |
Opposite Hitter | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | (2000-08-12) 12 August 2000 (age 23) | Kyoto Tachibana University |
| 3 | Kyoka Ohshima(C)
|
Setter | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | (1998-02-02) 2 February 1998 (age 26) | Tokyo Women's College of Physical Education |
| 4 | Sayaka Tanida |
Outside Hitter | 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in) | (2000-10-31) 31 October 2000 (age 23) | Seishin Girl's High School |
| 5 | Momoka Yashimiro |
Libero | 1.58 m (5 ft 2 in) | (1998-09-20) 20 September 1998 (age 25) | Chūgoku Gakuen University |
| 6 | Asuka Kuwabura |
Libero | 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in) | (1999-10-09) 9 October 1999 (age 24) | Nagano Bunka Gakuen High School |
| 7 | Hikari Niguma |
Opposite Hitter | 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in) | (1997-01-03) 3 January 1997 (age 27) | N/A |
| 9 | Kaoru Takahashi |
Libero | 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in) | (1998-05-26) 26 May 1998 (age 26) | Chūgoku Gakuen University |
| 10 | Yukino Yano |
Middle Blocker | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) | (1999-11-04) 4 November 1999 (age 24) | Nagasaki International University |
| 11 | Akane Hiraoka |
Outside Hitter | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | (2000-03-01) 1 March 2000 (age 24) | Fukuyama Heisei University |
| 13 | Miho Kawamura |
Middle Blocker | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | (1999-09-13) 13 September 1999 (age 24) | Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences |
| 14 | Sachiyo Takahashi |
Middle Blocker | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | (1983-11-04) 4 November 1983 (age 40) | N/A |
| 15 | Asaka Tamaru |
Opposite Hitter | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | (1998-05-26) 26 May 1998 (age 26) | Kyoto Sangyo University |
| 16 | Kumiko Matsubara |
Libero | 1.58 m (5 ft 2 in) | (1987-05-08) 8 May 1987 (age 37) | N/A |
| 17 | Mihaya Hata |
Middle Blocker | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | (2002-09-11) 11 September 2002 (age 21) | Eimei High School |
| 18 | Reina Fujiwara |
Libero | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | (1997-10-25) 25 October 1997 (age 26) | International Pacific University |
| 19 | Ayane Watanabe |
Libero | 1.52 m (5 ft 0 in) | (2002-11-03) 3 November 2002 (age 21) | Seiei High School |
| 20 | Nana Fujimura |
Libero | 1.57 m (5 ft 2 in) | (2004-12-14) 14 December 2004 (age 19) | Okayama Minami High School |
| 21 |  Carrie Ann Pronuevo |
Outside Hitter | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | (1997-12-06) 6 December 1997 (age 26) | Polytechnic University of the Philippines |
| 22 | Javen Sabas |
Outside Hitter | 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in) | (1999-01-31) 31 January 1999 (age 25) | Polytechnic University of the Philippines |
| 23 | Honoka Okuda |
Libero | 1.61 m (5 ft 3 in) | (2003-07-19) 19 July 2003 (age 20) | Okayama Minami High School |
Coaching staff
| Kurashiki Ablaze | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Player | Position | Height | Birth date | School |
| 1 | Wako Omura |
Setter | 1.61 m (5 ft 3 in) | (2001-06-15) 15 June 2001 (age 23) | Okayama Minami High School |
| 2 | Ruka Matsushima |
Setter | 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in) | (1997-12-17) 17 December 1997 (age 26) | Kobe Shinwa Women's University |
| 3 | Kyoka Ohshima(C)
|
Setter | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | (1998-02-02) 2 February 1998 (age 26) | Tokyo Women's College of Physical Education |
| 4 | Sayaka Tanida |
Outside Hitter | 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in) | (2000-10-31) 31 October 2000 (age 23) | Seishin Girl's High School |
| 5 | Momoka Yashimiro |
Libero | 1.58 m (5 ft 2 in) | (1998-09-20) 20 September 1998 (age 25) | Chūgoku Gakuen University |
| 6 | Asuka Kuwabura |
Libero | 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in) | (1999-10-09) 9 October 1999 (age 24) | Nagano Bunka Gakuen High School |
| 7 | Hikari Niguma |
Opposite Hitter | 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in) | (1997-01-03) 3 January 1997 (age 27) | N/A |
| 9 | Kaoru Takahashi |
Libero | 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in) | (1998-05-26) 26 May 1998 (age 26) | Chūgoku Gakuen University |
| 11 | Akane Hiraoka |
Outside Hitter | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | (2000-03-01) 1 March 2000 (age 24) | Fukuyama Heisei University |
| 13 | Miho Kawamura |
Middle Blocker | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | (1999-09-13) 13 September 1999 (age 24) | Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences |
| 14 | Sachiyo Takahashi |
Middle Blocker | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | (1983-11-04) 4 November 1983 (age 40) | N/A |
| 15 | Asaka Tamaru |
Opposite Hitter | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | (1998-05-26) 26 May 1998 (age 26) | Kyoto Sangyo University |
| 16 | Kumiko Matsubara |
Libero | 1.58 m (5 ft 2 in) | (1987-05-08) 8 May 1987 (age 37) | N/A |
| 17 | Mihaya Hata |
Middle Blocker | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | (2002-09-11) 11 September 2002 (age 21) | Eimei High School |
| 18 | Reina Fujiwara |
Libero | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | (1997-10-25) 25 October 1997 (age 26) | International Pacific University |
| 19 | Ayane Watanabe |
Libero | 1.52 m (5 ft 0 in) | (2002-11-03) 3 November 2002 (age 21) | Seiei High School |
| 20 | Rina Okabayashi |
Libero | 1.48 m (4 ft 10 in) | N/A | N/A |
| 21 | Carrie Ann Pronuevo |
Outside Hitter | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | (1997-12-06) 6 December 1997 (age 26) | Polytechnic University of the Philippines |
| 22 | Javen Sabas |
Outside Hitter | 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in) | (1999-01-31) 31 January 1999 (age 25) | Polytechnic University of the Philippines |
| 23 | Honoka Okuda |
Libero | 1.61 m (5 ft 3 in) | (2003-07-19) 19 July 2003 (age 20) | Okayama Minami High School |
Coaching staff
Carrie Ann Pronuevo
Javen Sabas
Champion of 2023 Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference
2023
Kyoka Ohshima – Finals MVP[14]
Asaka Tamaru – 1st Best Opposite Hitter[15]
Off the court, the Kurashiki Ablaze Women's team is actively involved in community outreach programs and charity events.[16] In fact, Kurashiki visited Barangay 158 in Tondo, Manila, to hold an outreach program with the community residents.[10]
