GOZU MEDIA
Story of GOZU
“Next Time, I’m Going to Win It All.”
— A Tournament That Makes You Want to Do Judo Again: GOZU JUDO
Interview / Article by: Masashi Nakata, SOU Inc.
When you think of a judo tournament, what comes to mind? A tense competition area. Athletes fighting their way through the brackets. A champion stepping onto the podium. Every athlete steps onto the tatami to win. But for Yuki Takahashi, organizer of GOZU JUDO TOURNAMENT, judo goes beyond competition day. It’s about people who keep training while working, the struggles they face as they prepare for a match, those who return to competition after stepping away, and those who return to the dojo after a loss, determined to do better next time. GOZU JUDO (hereafter, GOZU) is becoming a tournament that embraces each person’s journey with judo.
“Next time, I’m going to win it all.”
GOZU is now heading into its third tournament. One change Takahashi has noticed since the first two editions is how many judoka keep coming back. “A lot of them tell me, ‘Next time, I’m going to win it all.’ Once you’ve taken on a challenge, you start thinking about what you want to achieve next. I think they’re working hard with GOZU as their next goal.”
As students, competitions, club activities, and new goals come naturally. But working life changes your relationship with judo. There’s work, family, and everyday responsibilities. Even if you keep training, there isn’t always another competition to aim for. GOZU aims to give people in this position a new goal.
The name “GOZU” comes from Gozu (牛頭), a deity associated with rebuilding things for the better. It reflects a wish to help rebuild the judo world, starting in Japan — the birthplace of judo.
You train because a tournament is coming up. You lose and want to come back stronger. You meet people at GOZU whom you look forward to seeing again. Judo continues beyond competition day, becoming part of everyday life. Takahashi says this was one of GOZU’s key goals from the beginning.
Some had thought, “Maybe I’m done with Judo.”
Some competitors had begun to think, “Maybe I’m done with judo,” before entering GOZU. Takahashi knew some of them personally through regular training. They hadn’t stopped practicing; they trained hard. But they were struggling to find answers to questions like: Why am I training? What am I working toward? After entering GOZU, one competitor who had been searching for those answers approached Takahashi and said: “GOZU saved me.” Having a tournament to prepare for gave him a reason to train and a goal to pursue again. When Takahashi heard, “I’m genuinely grateful,” he says he felt glad he had done it. Of course, not everyone experiences the same change. Some hesitate to enter; others compete once and never return. Takahashi sees that, too, as part of judo.
There’s still fear in competing in Judo
GOZU aims to be an enjoyable tournament, but competition can still be frightening. Takahashi continues to compete himself, so he understands.
“I care a hell of a lot about winning and losing, too. And when I lose, it hurts. We’re all the same in that way, right? Competition exposes your weaknesses. Sometimes you can’t do what you’ve practiced. And when you get thrown, everyone can see the result. Takahashi describes the feeling as being “stripped completely bare.” That’s why he understands when people hesitate to enter. Some step away because they don’t want to get hurt again. GOZU isn’t a casual event that removes the pressure of winning and losing. It wants to respect both the desire to win and the frustration of losing. But with each tournament, Takahashi has become more determined not to let the experience end there.
If it were only about winning and losing, it would be just another tournament
“At a tournament, it always comes down to whether you win or lose, right? But if that’s all there is to it, then it’s just another tournament.” GOZU aims to share more than results: what kept each person going, why they chose to compete again, and what brought them to the tatami. “I want to share who people are and how they’ve lived — the journey they took to get to that match, along with the wins and losses.” Results divide people into winners and losers. But look at the journey leading up to the tournament, and every person has a different story. Someone who heads to the dojo after work. Someone competing for the first time in years. Someone returning with the frustration of a previous loss. Someone who thought about quitting but kept going. That’s the part of the story GOZU JUDO wants to share.
On GOZU’s official Instagram, competitors’ messages reveal what having a place to practice and compete means to them.
A place where people who want to keep doing Judo can keep going
GOZU JUDO also stands apart through its prize-money PRO CLASS. The idea is to create an environment where athletes who want to keep competing can do so. They love judo, want to get stronger, and aren’t ready to retire. But balancing training with work and everyday life can make continuing difficult. GOZU wants to offer more than a place to compete. It aims to create a system where pursuing judo can also bring financial rewards. The prize money is a first step toward that vision — and a message in itself. People who want to keep doing judo shouldn’t have to give up competing because of their circumstances. Building an environment where they can continue is part of the future GOZU envisions.
The most enjoyable Judo Takahashi ever experienced was in Mongolia
One judo experience has stayed with Takahashi: a visit to Mongolia.
Everyone gathered around one competition area, with about six people taking turns fighting. If you lost, you stepped out. The next person stepped in. Before long, it was your turn again. “Even if someone absolutely launched you and you lost, everyone was just like, ‘Wooo!’ (laughs). Then your turn came around again, and you got another go. That was the most fun I’ve ever had doing judo.” There were winners and losers, and everyone fought seriously. But one loss didn’t mean it was over. You could step back in and try again. “Part of it was almost like playing, but I felt I was doing judo in the purest sense.” That feeling connects directly to GOZU’s vision. You compete seriously and fight to win. Losing hurts, but it doesn’t have to mean you weren’t good enough. “I lost today. But I’ll be back.” Takahashi wants GOZU to be a place where people can keep doing judo with that mindset.
What started as one organizer’s personal wish is gradually bringing people together
Takahashi says GOZU JUDO began with “my own selfish wish.” But as it enters its third edition, that wish is becoming something shared. When he invited people to support GOZU as ambassadors, they responded, “Of course,” and “It would be an honor.” Past competitors have also offered to help. Some have even started organizing training sessions inspired by their GOZU experience, creating opportunities to work on judo beyond competition day. “I don’t actually have that many friends,” Takahashi says with a laugh, “but I feel like I’ve made more through GOZU.”
Beyond the organizing committee, volunteers have joined the team, while others contribute through drinks and merchandise sales at the venue, helping make the tournament different from the usual.
Competitors are also coming from farther afield. Initially, most came from Osaka and the Kansai region. Then participants arrived from Kyushu, and one judoka even traveled from the United States. For the third tournament, Takahashi hopes to connect with even more judoka overseas. The goal isn’t simply to make the event bigger, but to bring people who share a passion for judo together. He sees real potential in those connections.
The third tournament means GOZU is still a work in progress
Isn’t organizing tournaments difficult? Takahashi laughs a little before answering. “It’s hard.”
So why continue with a third edition?
“I want to keep going — the third, fourth, fifth tournaments — until everyone feels comfortable coming out to compete.” His goal isn’t just to make one tournament a success. He wants GOZU to become a place where people hurt by past experiences, those who have stepped away from competition, and those who still love judo can feel comfortable taking on a new challenge. GOZU JUDO isn’t a tournament without winners and losers. It’s where people who want to win step onto the tatami and fight with everything they have. But judo doesn’t have to end with the result. You lose, so you return to training. You aim for the next tournament. You meet people there and find yourself doing judo with them again. Little by little, judo continues to be part of your life. GOZU JUDO is creating that next place — somewhere to return, challenge yourself, and keep moving forward.
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Date: Saturday, December 12, 2026
Venue: Ohama Daishin Arena (Ohama Gymnasium)
YUKI TAKAHASHI
Organizer of GOZU JUDO and director of TAKAHASHI JUDO ACADEMY. A graduate of Yamanashi Gakuin University’s Judo Club, he holds a fourth-dan black belt from the Kodokan and a certified judo instructor qualification, with experience coaching overseas. Based in Sakai, Osaka, he focuses on helping children grow through judo while continuing to compete himself. He founded GOZU JUDO to create a stage where people who want to keep doing judo can challenge themselves and shine, opening up new possibilities for those who remain passionate about the sport regardless of age or circumstances.