The is a Japanese professional women's volleyball team from Kurashiki, Okayama which plays in the V.League, the second-tier volleyball league in Japan.
History It is a volleyball club from Kurashiki City, Okayama, Japan founded in 2019. Kurashiki Ablaze is operated by Ablaze Co., Ltd. that is located in Minamiune, Kurashiki, Okayama.
Kurashiki won bronze medal in 13th National 6-Person Final League & Grand Champion Match Awards in Japan.
They debuted at the V.League for the 2023–24 season after being given an S3 license in October 2022.
They would join the Premier Volleyball League in the Philippines as one of the two foreign guest teams for the 2023 Invitational Conference. They also beat the undefeated 6 year semi finals no loss place of Creamline Cool Smashers. Kurashiki won their first title in the PVL against the Creamline Cool Smashers in five-set match. After the awards ceremony, Kurashiki helped to clean the PhilSports Arena that caught the attention of the Creamline Cool Smashers team manager Alan Acero. They would return in 2024 to defend their PVL Invitation Conference crown. They however would finish third place.
They are also set to play in the 2024–25 season of the V.League, which saw its division two and three merged.
Team image The meaning of ABLAZE to the team refers to "passion", "excitement", and "burning".
Current roster These are the players for the 2024 Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference. Kurashiki AblazeNo.PlayerPositionHeightBirth dateSchool SetterOkayama Minami High School (C) Opposite HitterKyoto Tachibana University Setter Tokyo Women's College of Physical Education Outside HitterSeishin Girl's High School LiberoSeiei High School LiberoChūgoku Gakuen University Outside HitterNagasaki International University Opposite HitterKyoto Sangyo University Middle BlockerOsaka University of Health and Sport Sciences Opposite Hitter International Pacific University Middle Blocker National Taiwan Normal University Opposite HitterNational Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya Opposite Hitte Mukogawa Women's University LiberoOkayama Minami High School Opposite Hitter Seiei High School Middle Blocker Osaka University of Health and Sport Sciences
Coaching staff Head coach: Hideo Suzuki Assistant coach: Tamaru Shoichiro
Previous roster
These are the players for 2023/2024: Kurashiki AblazeNo.PlayerPositionHeightBirth dateSchool SetterOkayama Minami High School Opposite HitterKyoto Tachibana University (C) Setter Tokyo Women's College of Physical Education Outside HitterSeishin Girl's High School LiberoChūgoku Gakuen University LiberoSeiei High School LiberoChūgoku Gakuen University Outside HitterNagasaki International University Middle BlockerFukuyama Heisei University Opposite HitterKyoto Sangyo University Middle BlockerOsaka University of Health and Sport Sciences Opposite HitterNational Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya Middle BlockerEimei High School Opposite HitterInternational Pacific University LiberoOkayama Minami High School LiberoOkayama Minami High School
Coaching staff Head coach:Hideo Suzuki Assistant coach:Shota Sato
Kurashiki AblazeNo.PlayerPositionHeightBirth dateSchool SetterOkayama Minami High School Opposite HitterKyoto Tachibana University (C) Setter Tokyo Women's College of Physical Education Outside HitterSeishin Girl's High School LiberoChūgoku Gakuen University LiberoNagano Bunka Gakuen High School Opposite HitterN/A LiberoChūgoku Gakuen University Middle BlockerNagasaki International University Outside HitterFukuyama Heisei University Middle BlockerOsaka University of Health and Sport Sciences Middle BlockerN/A Opposite HitterKyoto Sangyo University LiberoN/A Middle BlockerEimei High School LiberoInternational Pacific University LiberoSeiei High School LiberoOkayama Minami High School Outside HitterPolytechnic University of the Philippines Outside HitterPolytechnic University of the Philippines LiberoOkayama Minami High School
Coaching staff Head coach:Hideo Suzuki Assistant coach:Shota Sato
Kurashiki AblazeNo.PlayerPositionHeightBirth dateSchool SetterOkayama Minami High School SetterKobe Shinwa Women's University (C) Setter Tokyo Women's College of Physical Education Outside HitterSeishin Girl's High School LiberoChūgoku Gakuen University LiberoNagano Bunka Gakuen High School Opposite HitterN/A LiberoChūgoku Gakuen University Outside HitterFukuyama Heisei University Middle BlockerOsaka University of Health and Sport Sciences Middle BlockerN/A Opposite HitterKyoto Sangyo University LiberoN/A Middle BlockerEimei High School LiberoInternational Pacific University LiberoSeiei High School LiberoN/AN/A Outside HitterPolytechnic University of the Philippines Outside HitterPolytechnic University of the Philippines LiberoOkayama Minami High School
Coaching staff Head coach:Hideo Suzuki Assistant coach:Shota Sato
Honors Team Season Conference Title Source 2023 PVL Invitational ConferenceChampions 2024–25 2024 PVL Invitational Conference 3rd place V.League (Japan)
Individual Season Conference Award Name Source 2023 PVL Invitational Conference Finals MVP Kyoka Ohshima 1st Best Outside Spiker Asaka Tamaru 2024 PVL Invitational Conference Best Opposite Spiker Saya Taniguchi 2nd Best Middle Blocker Low Mei Cing
Foreign players Carrie Ann Pronuevo Javen Sabas Low Mei Cing – Malaysia national team player
References