Thuy MVP as Team Nichika shut out Team Yoshino in Japan’s All-Star Game spectacle

A record-setting 8,320 spectators enjoyed this year’s edition of the women’s Daido Life SV.League All-Star Game in Japan, played at the Glion Arena in Kobe on Saturday, also viewed by worldwide fans thanks to the live streaming offered by VBTV. Team Nichika beat Team Yoshino in straight sets, while Vietnamese star Tran Thi Thanh Thuy picked up the Most Valuable Player (MVP award).

• Watch Japan's SV.League on VBTV

The spectacular show offered a delightful experience with plenty of pure high-level volleyball, garnished with some special rules decided by the luck of the roulette, such as ’14 players a side’, ‘Four touches allowed’, ‘Feet only’, ‘Serving coach’, etc. The second set was also special in that it was played to 15 points. Finally, Team Nichika, captained by NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki’s 25-year-old middle blocker Nichika Yamada and coached by Saga Hisamitsu Springs’ Kumi Nakada, took out Team Yoshino, led by NEC’s 24-year-old outside hitter Yoshino Sato and guided by NEC’s coach Kodai Nakaya, in straight sets, 3-0 (25-19, 15-12, 25-14).

Four individual awards were presented at the end of the show, with Gunma Green Wings’ 28-year-old Vietnamese star outside hitter Tran Thi Thanh Thuy, who played for the winning side, honored with the MVP recognition.

Victorina Himeji’s 24-year-old outside Rui Nonaka, playing for Team Yoshino, received the Fighting Spirit award. Team Nichika’s 24-year-old outside Yukiko Wada of NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki claimed the Speed ​​King award with the highest serve speed of 95.5 km/h, while Team Nichika’s 26-year-old libero Miiku Iwasawa of Saitama Ageo Medics picked up the Best Entertainment award.

Before the match, a volleyball class and a balloon volleyball experience was held for about 30 elementary school students, and the players enjoyed a brief moment of interaction with the local children. The match featured many creative ideas to entertain the fans, and additional individual games were played between the sets.

At the end, the venue for next year's All-Star Game was announced. The Es Con Field in Hokkaido will welcome the show on January 30, 2027, with both men's and women's games held on the same day.

The men’s 2026 Daido Life SV.League All-Star Game is coming up at the same venue in Kobe on Sunday, February 1, at 14:05 local time (05:05 UTC).

The women’s SV.League regular season will resume next weekend with a full set of seven double headers on Saturday and Sunday, February 7 and 8.

Women’s SV.League 2025-2026 15th leg:
Feb 07, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Denso Airybees Koriyama v Victorina Himeji
Feb 07, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Gunma Green Wings v Osaka Marvelous
Feb 07, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): PFU BlueCats Ishikawa Kahoku v Saitama Ageo Medics
Feb 07, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Queenseis Kariya v Okayama Seagulls
Feb 07, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Astemo Rivale Ibaraki v Aranmare Yamagata
Feb 07, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Kurobe Aqua Fairies v Toray Arrows Shiga
Feb 07, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Saga Hisamitsu Springs v NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki
Feb 08, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Denso Airybees Koriyama v Victorina Himeji
Feb 08, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Gunma Green Wings v Osaka Marvelous
Feb 08, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): PFU BlueCats Ishikawa Kahoku v Saitama Ageo Medics
Feb 08, 13:05 local (04:05 UTC): Queenseis Kariya v Okayama Seagulls
Feb 08, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Astemo Rivale Ibaraki v Aranmare Yamagata
Feb 08, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Kurobe Aqua Fairies v Toray Arrows Shiga
Feb 08, 14:05 local (05:05 UTC): Saga Hisamitsu Springs v NEC Red Rockets Kawasaki

Quick links:
Japanese SV.League - women
VBTV
Volleyball World Facebook
Volleyball World X
Volleyball World Instagram
Volleyball World YouTube
Subscribe to Volleyball World's Newsletter