Bowling Revolution P-League
Encyclopedia
is a series of women-only bowling
tournaments, developed solely for television
. The tournament is open only to selected members of the Japan Professional Bowling Association
(JPBA), Japan Bowling Congress
(JBC), and members of the JBC Japan national team. The show airs throughout Japan every Sunday from 5:30pm to 6:00pm (30 minutes) on BS Nippon (BS日テレ).
The "P" in P★League has five meanings: "Pretty", "Power", "Passion", "Performance" and "Perfect".
In the early 1970s, the JPBA, along with the JBC and the Bowling Proprietors Association of Japan (BPAJ) produced a series of televised bowling tournaments called Ladies! Challenge Bowl (レディズ・チャレンジボウル), in the attempt to further push the sport's appeal, as well as showcase the women who competed in the three-year old JPBA. Big names such as Ritsuko Nakayama
and Kayoko Suda competed in these tournaments. In all, sixty-two women participated in these tournaments. The formula worked - as the show's concept is used in many other Japanese bowling promotions on television, leading up to the present day.
Nakayama, along with the JPBA and the JBC, created P★League in 2006 in an attempt to revive bowling's popularity on television once enjoyed in the 1970s. The women who compete in P★League are labeled "idol
" type athletes, since most of the bowlers tend to be marketed as such, and appear to look like the idols one would find in, for example, Japanese pop music
. Despite the idol image, the professionals and amateurs who compete in P★League are among the best women bowlers in the world. All of the competitors hold an average of 190 or better, and several have bowled 300-games and 700-series.
In April 2011, P-League released a five year anniversary commemorating DVD set, including all four previously released DVDs and an all-new P-League Volume 5. P-League will also hold a "Next Era P-Leaguer" audition; the conditions so far are for female bowlers - regardless of amateur/professional status - between the ages of 16 and 28.
Tournaments 1 through 3
Twelve bowlers competed. Four of the bowlers had an automatic berth to Round 2. In Round 1, the eight remaining bowlers competed in four head-to-head matches, with the winner in each match moving up to the Round 2. The winners of the four head-to-head matches in Round 2 moved up to the semi-final round. The two winners of the semi-finals moved up to the final match, while the two losers moved into the consolidation match. The winner of the final match placed 1st, while the loser placed 2nd, and the winner of the consolation match placed 3rd.
Tournaments 4 through 12
The field was increased from twelve to sixteen bowlers. Four groups (A through D) of four bowlers were created. In Round 1, the two highest scorers in each group advanced to Round 2. In Round 2, two groups (AB and CD) were created, and the two highest scorers in each group advanced to the semi-final round. The four remaining bowlers are spit into two head-to-head matches, with the winners advancing to the final match, while the two losers moved to the consolation match. The winner of the final match placed 1st, while the loser placed 2nd, and the winner of the consolation match placed 3rd.
Tournament 13
In Tournament 13, the field was re-sized to fifteen bowlers. Five groups of three bowlers (A through E) were created. In Round 1, the highest scorer in each group advanced to the semi-finals. In the semi-finals, the five winners were split into two matches of three. For the sixth bowler, a "wild card" bowler was chosen, where the bowler had the highest score among the losers in Round 1. The two highest scorers in each match moved up to the final match. The 1st through 4th places were determined by the order of the scores.
Tournaments 14 and later
The current format consists of a field of eighteen bowlers. Six groups of three bowlers (A through F) were created. In Round 1, the highest scorer in each group advanced to the ABC and DEF matches. The highest scorer in the ABC/DEF matches advanced to the finals. To keep the three-bowler format in the finals, a "wild card" bowler was chosen, where the bowler had the highest score among the losers in the ABC/DEF matches. The winner of the final match is the champion.
In Tournaments 14 through 28, there were twenty members in P-League, but only eighteen of them were allowed to participate. The two lowest scorers during Round 1 were banned from participating in the next Tournament. The two bowlers banned from the previous Tournament were then allowed back in P-League to fill in the two vacant spots - keeping the number of bowlers at 18.
In Tournaments 29 and 30, the number of permanent members increased to 21 bowlers. To keep the number of competitors at 18, the number of bowlers banned from participating in the next Tournament increased from two bowlers to three.
Starting with Tournament 31, the rules regarding the first-round matches have drastically changed. The first-place bowler in each group will still move on to the semi-final; the second-place bowler will be able to participate in the next Tournament; however, the last-place bowler in each group will be banned from participating in the next Tournament. This system brings the number of banned bowlers to six, double the amount for the last two Tournaments and triple the amount from when the elimination system first started.
Prize Money
Prize money is currently: 1st Place - 500,000 yen, 2nd Place - 250,000 yen, and 3rd Place 100,000 yen.
Perfect Prize
Starting with Tournament 10, prize money is awarded to the bowler who rolls a perfect 300-game. The amount of the prize is based on when the game was scored. In Tournaments 10 through 12, the first series of matches was worth 500,000 yen, 3.0 million yen in the semi-finals, and 5.0 million yen in the finals. In Tournaments 13 to 24, the first series of matches was worth 1.0 million yen, 3.0 million yen in the ABC/DEF matches, and 5.0 million yen in the finals. From Tournament 25 and on, the perfect prize was increased to 10.0 million yen for the whole tournament.
. Lanes 59 and 60 are used as the tournament "TV pair" during the more recent rounds. A temporary filming studio enclosure is constructed around three pairs of lanes, complete with additional lighting and a pink-themed decor. Lanes 57 and 58, and 61 and 62 are turned into seating areas for the live viewing audience. A large digital score board is placed above the TV pair. Many other parts of the bowling establishment are turned into dressing rooms and interviewing areas.
While the matches are being filmed, most of the fifteen remaining competitors sit in the "pit area" of lanes 57 and 58 and, along with the viewing audience watch the matches. In matches where a member of the Japan National Team is involved, the other teammates sitting in the pit area will yell "saa iccho" (さーいっちょ) just before the bowler makes her delivery. The NTV commentators are situated in the pit area of lanes 61 and 62. Usually, the commentators cannot be heard by the people in the studio during the match. But, on occasion a commentator will yell with enthusiasm, stirring up laughter among the bowlers. Ryo Itsuno once yelled, "Nandedayō?" (何でだよう？ or "Why?") while working on Round 25, Match E when Yūko Nakatani left a soft 10-pin in a crucial must-strike situation. Other phrases popular with Itsuno include "JUST POCKET!" (ジャストポケット!) after a strike, and "GOOD JOB!" or "EXCELLENT!" after a great spare.
The scores are tracked electronically, and on occasion need to be corrected by the competitors themselves.
The competitors for the up-coming match practice outside of the studio, using the remaining available lanes.
Tournament 30: Hiromi Matsunaga matches Urara Himeji's record of five tournament wins. The final match had a line-up that matched the line-up in Round 29 (Mori, Matsunaga, and Nishimura.) The win was also the second time that Matsunaga won two tournaments in a row (the other back-to-back wins was Rounds 18 and 19.) This round also introduced Saki Nakajima as a supporter.
Tournament 31: Hiromi Matsunaga sets the record for not only the most tournament wins (6), but also the number of continuous wins (3). The rules changed in Round 31, where the low scorers in each of A-F matches are banned from the next tournament. This rule changed the dynamics of the A-F matches, as each bowler is now faced with not only losing the 1st round match, but also not rolling the low score in the match. The mood was noticeably more serious in the A-F matches, than in previous rounds.
Tournament 33: After four straight tournament wins, Hiromi Matsunaga loses to Aino Kinjō in Match 33C, 225-226. After a strike in the foundation ninth frame, Matsunaga brought a 21-pin lead over Kinjō with her to the 10th frame. Matsunaga rolls the ball straight into the head-pin, leaving the difficult 4-10 split. Missing the split, Kinjō is forced to cover 20 pins in the 10th frame. A strike on the first ball gives Kinjō a comfortable position to collect the needed ten pins in the last two balls. Kinjō was then defeated in the ABC semi-final match against Miki Nishimura. Nishimura and best-friend Urara Himeji meet up with Ayano Katai in the final match. Nishimura started strong with a turkey in the first three frames, along with Katai's four-bagger. Katai falls out of contention with two straight open frames in the fifth and sixth frames. After a slow start with a 65 in the fourth frame for Himeji, she finishes the match with eight straight strikes for a 245 - forcing Nishimura to match her, starting at the eighth frame for any chance of taking advantage of a break by Himeji. Nishimura ends up short, rolling a 233 and a second-place finish. It is Himeji's sixth tournament win, and is only one win away from matching Matsunaga's record of seven tournament wins.
Tournament 34: Tournament 34 is overall the highest-scoring tournament in P-League history. Overall average score of 222 after 27 games (nine matches,) with 178 strikes. Three new members of P-League make their debut. Ayumi Kobayashi (21) earned her JPBA membership earlier in 2011. Satsuki Sasaki (23) is the newest member of the Japan national team. Kana Shimoide (17) is also a Japan national team member, and is currently attending high school.
☆-Champion, ◎-2nd Place, ○-3rd Place, △-4th Place (#1 thru 13), 1-Eliminated in 1st Round, 2-Eliminated in 2nd Round (#1 thru #12), ♥-Eliminated in ABC/DEF matches (#13-), ×-Did not compete, ↓-Low score in A-F matches (#20 thru 30) or in a match (#31-). Professional bowlers are highlighted in pink, amateurs are highlighted in aqua.
Ten-pin bowling
Ten-pin bowling is a competitive sport in which a player rolls a bowling ball down a wooden or synthetic lane with the objective of scoring points by knocking down as many pins as possible.-Summary:The lane is bordered along its length by semicylindrical channels Ten-pin bowling (commonly just...
tournaments, developed solely for television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
. The tournament is open only to selected members of the Japan Professional Bowling Association
Japan Professional Bowling Association
The is the major sanctioning body for the sport of professional ten-pin bowling in Japan. The organization was founded by , and was established on January 27, 1967. The JPBA sanctions tournaments and other functions related to professional bowling for both men and women. Its headquarters are...
(JPBA), Japan Bowling Congress
Japan Bowling Congress
is the major sanctioning body for the sport of ten-pin bowling in Japan. The JBC sanctions tournaments and other functions related to amateur bowling for both men and women. The current president of the JBC is Kyohei Akagi. The JBC was established during the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo...
(JBC), and members of the JBC Japan national team. The show airs throughout Japan every Sunday from 5:30pm to 6:00pm (30 minutes) on BS Nippon (BS日テレ).
The "P" in P★League has five meanings: "Pretty", "Power", "Passion", "Performance" and "Perfect".
History
During the 1970s, bowling was very popular among the Japanese. Japan had as many as 3,697 bowling establishments during the 1970s. By the late 1990s, the number has shrunken to only 600. In 2008, there were 1,100 bowling establishments; 25.1 million people bowled in Japan - about one in five Japanese.In the early 1970s, the JPBA, along with the JBC and the Bowling Proprietors Association of Japan (BPAJ) produced a series of televised bowling tournaments called Ladies! Challenge Bowl (レディズ・チャレンジボウル), in the attempt to further push the sport's appeal, as well as showcase the women who competed in the three-year old JPBA. Big names such as Ritsuko Nakayama
Ritsuko Nakayama
is a former professional bowler. She was born in Kusatsu, Gunma, Japan. She later moved to Kagoshima which is her parents' hometown. Nakayama became a member of the Japan Professional Bowling Association in 1969, representing Tokyo Tower Bowling Center....
and Kayoko Suda competed in these tournaments. In all, sixty-two women participated in these tournaments. The formula worked - as the show's concept is used in many other Japanese bowling promotions on television, leading up to the present day.
Nakayama, along with the JPBA and the JBC, created P★League in 2006 in an attempt to revive bowling's popularity on television once enjoyed in the 1970s. The women who compete in P★League are labeled "idol
Japanese idol
In Japanese culture, are media personalities in their teens and early twenties who are considered particularly attractive or cute and who will, for a period ranging from several months to a few years, regularly appear in the mass media, e.g...
" type athletes, since most of the bowlers tend to be marketed as such, and appear to look like the idols one would find in, for example, Japanese pop music
J-pop
, an abbreviation for Japanese pop, is a musical genre that entered the musical mainstream of Japan in the 1990s. Modern J-pop has its roots in 1960s music, such as The Beatles, and replaced kayōkyoku in the Japanese music scene...
. Despite the idol image, the professionals and amateurs who compete in P★League are among the best women bowlers in the world. All of the competitors hold an average of 190 or better, and several have bowled 300-games and 700-series.
Merchandising
Besides its weekly television show, P-League also sells a four-volume DVD set at video and book stores. Volume 1 profiles the original members of P-League. Volumes 2 and 3 includes "doubles" tournaments not shown on television. Volume 4 features an "East v. West" team challenge, where the 20 competitors were divided into two teams of 10 based on their hometown.In April 2011, P-League released a five year anniversary commemorating DVD set, including all four previously released DVDs and an all-new P-League Volume 5. P-League will also hold a "Next Era P-Leaguer" audition; the conditions so far are for female bowlers - regardless of amateur/professional status - between the ages of 16 and 28.
Tournament Details
The television show consists of a series of tournaments. An entire tournament is bowled and filmed in one day. But, when aired on television, the television coverage spans across seven or eight weeks because of the 30-minute time slot. Each tournament is bowled in a single-elimination bracket format. The groupings for the first round of matches are done via a lottery.Tournaments 1 through 3
Twelve bowlers competed. Four of the bowlers had an automatic berth to Round 2. In Round 1, the eight remaining bowlers competed in four head-to-head matches, with the winner in each match moving up to the Round 2. The winners of the four head-to-head matches in Round 2 moved up to the semi-final round. The two winners of the semi-finals moved up to the final match, while the two losers moved into the consolidation match. The winner of the final match placed 1st, while the loser placed 2nd, and the winner of the consolation match placed 3rd.
Tournaments 4 through 12
The field was increased from twelve to sixteen bowlers. Four groups (A through D) of four bowlers were created. In Round 1, the two highest scorers in each group advanced to Round 2. In Round 2, two groups (AB and CD) were created, and the two highest scorers in each group advanced to the semi-final round. The four remaining bowlers are spit into two head-to-head matches, with the winners advancing to the final match, while the two losers moved to the consolation match. The winner of the final match placed 1st, while the loser placed 2nd, and the winner of the consolation match placed 3rd.
Tournament 13
In Tournament 13, the field was re-sized to fifteen bowlers. Five groups of three bowlers (A through E) were created. In Round 1, the highest scorer in each group advanced to the semi-finals. In the semi-finals, the five winners were split into two matches of three. For the sixth bowler, a "wild card" bowler was chosen, where the bowler had the highest score among the losers in Round 1. The two highest scorers in each match moved up to the final match. The 1st through 4th places were determined by the order of the scores.
The current format consists of a field of eighteen bowlers. Six groups of three bowlers (A through F) were created. In Round 1, the highest scorer in each group advanced to the ABC and DEF matches. The highest scorer in the ABC/DEF matches advanced to the finals. To keep the three-bowler format in the finals, a "wild card" bowler was chosen, where the bowler had the highest score among the losers in the ABC/DEF matches. The winner of the final match is the champion.
In Tournaments 14 through 28, there were twenty members in P-League, but only eighteen of them were allowed to participate. The two lowest scorers during Round 1 were banned from participating in the next Tournament. The two bowlers banned from the previous Tournament were then allowed back in P-League to fill in the two vacant spots - keeping the number of bowlers at 18.
In Tournaments 29 and 30, the number of permanent members increased to 21 bowlers. To keep the number of competitors at 18, the number of bowlers banned from participating in the next Tournament increased from two bowlers to three.
Starting with Tournament 31, the rules regarding the first-round matches have drastically changed. The first-place bowler in each group will still move on to the semi-final; the second-place bowler will be able to participate in the next Tournament; however, the last-place bowler in each group will be banned from participating in the next Tournament. This system brings the number of banned bowlers to six, double the amount for the last two Tournaments and triple the amount from when the elimination system first started.
Prize Money
Prize money is currently: 1st Place - 500,000 yen, 2nd Place - 250,000 yen, and 3rd Place 100,000 yen.
Perfect Prize
Starting with Tournament 10, prize money is awarded to the bowler who rolls a perfect 300-game. The amount of the prize is based on when the game was scored. In Tournaments 10 through 12, the first series of matches was worth 500,000 yen, 3.0 million yen in the semi-finals, and 5.0 million yen in the finals. In Tournaments 13 to 24, the first series of matches was worth 1.0 million yen, 3.0 million yen in the ABC/DEF matches, and 5.0 million yen in the finals. From Tournament 25 and on, the perfect prize was increased to 10.0 million yen for the whole tournament.
Filming conditions
Currently, all the rounds are filmed at Tamachi Hilane (田町ハイレーン), located in Minato City, TokyoMinato, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 1 March 2008, it had an official population of 217,335 and a population density of 10,865 persons per km². The total area is 20.34 km².Minato hosts 49 embassies...
. Lanes 59 and 60 are used as the tournament "TV pair" during the more recent rounds. A temporary filming studio enclosure is constructed around three pairs of lanes, complete with additional lighting and a pink-themed decor. Lanes 57 and 58, and 61 and 62 are turned into seating areas for the live viewing audience. A large digital score board is placed above the TV pair. Many other parts of the bowling establishment are turned into dressing rooms and interviewing areas.
While the matches are being filmed, most of the fifteen remaining competitors sit in the "pit area" of lanes 57 and 58 and, along with the viewing audience watch the matches. In matches where a member of the Japan National Team is involved, the other teammates sitting in the pit area will yell "saa iccho" (さーいっちょ) just before the bowler makes her delivery. The NTV commentators are situated in the pit area of lanes 61 and 62. Usually, the commentators cannot be heard by the people in the studio during the match. But, on occasion a commentator will yell with enthusiasm, stirring up laughter among the bowlers. Ryo Itsuno once yelled, "Nandedayō?" (何でだよう？ or "Why?") while working on Round 25, Match E when Yūko Nakatani left a soft 10-pin in a crucial must-strike situation. Other phrases popular with Itsuno include "JUST POCKET!" (ジャストポケット!) after a strike, and "GOOD JOB!" or "EXCELLENT!" after a great spare.
The scores are tracked electronically, and on occasion need to be corrected by the competitors themselves.
The competitors for the up-coming match practice outside of the studio, using the remaining available lanes.
Tournament notes
Tournament 28: For the first time in P-League history, all members of the Japan National Team won their first round matches (Ōishi, Asada, and Koizumi) and reached the ABC/DEF matches. It is also the first time all three positions in either the ABC or DEF match are filled by members of the Japan National Team. It is the first time all amateurs (four of them in Round 28) have qualified for the ABC/DEF matches. It is also the first time the final match will consist entirely of amateurs (Asada, Harigaya, and Ōishi as the wild card.) With her win, Harigaya is the first bowler without affiliation to the Japan National Team nor the JPBA to win.Tournament 30: Hiromi Matsunaga matches Urara Himeji's record of five tournament wins. The final match had a line-up that matched the line-up in Round 29 (Mori, Matsunaga, and Nishimura.) The win was also the second time that Matsunaga won two tournaments in a row (the other back-to-back wins was Rounds 18 and 19.) This round also introduced Saki Nakajima as a supporter.
Tournament 31: Hiromi Matsunaga sets the record for not only the most tournament wins (6), but also the number of continuous wins (3). The rules changed in Round 31, where the low scorers in each of A-F matches are banned from the next tournament. This rule changed the dynamics of the A-F matches, as each bowler is now faced with not only losing the 1st round match, but also not rolling the low score in the match. The mood was noticeably more serious in the A-F matches, than in previous rounds.
Tournament 33: After four straight tournament wins, Hiromi Matsunaga loses to Aino Kinjō in Match 33C, 225-226. After a strike in the foundation ninth frame, Matsunaga brought a 21-pin lead over Kinjō with her to the 10th frame. Matsunaga rolls the ball straight into the head-pin, leaving the difficult 4-10 split. Missing the split, Kinjō is forced to cover 20 pins in the 10th frame. A strike on the first ball gives Kinjō a comfortable position to collect the needed ten pins in the last two balls. Kinjō was then defeated in the ABC semi-final match against Miki Nishimura. Nishimura and best-friend Urara Himeji meet up with Ayano Katai in the final match. Nishimura started strong with a turkey in the first three frames, along with Katai's four-bagger. Katai falls out of contention with two straight open frames in the fifth and sixth frames. After a slow start with a 65 in the fourth frame for Himeji, she finishes the match with eight straight strikes for a 245 - forcing Nishimura to match her, starting at the eighth frame for any chance of taking advantage of a break by Himeji. Nishimura ends up short, rolling a 233 and a second-place finish. It is Himeji's sixth tournament win, and is only one win away from matching Matsunaga's record of seven tournament wins.
Tournament 34: Tournament 34 is overall the highest-scoring tournament in P-League history. Overall average score of 222 after 27 games (nine matches,) with 178 strikes. Three new members of P-League make their debut. Ayumi Kobayashi (21) earned her JPBA membership earlier in 2011. Satsuki Sasaki (23) is the newest member of the Japan national team. Kana Shimoide (17) is also a Japan national team member, and is currently attending high school.
Active players
☆-Champion, ◎-2nd Place, ○-3rd Place, △-4th Place (#1 thru 13), 1-Eliminated in 1st Round, 2-Eliminated in 2nd Round (#1 thru #12), ♥-Eliminated in ABC/DEF matches (#13-), ×-Did not compete, ↓-Low score in A-F matches (#20 thru 30) or in a match (#31-). Professional bowlers are highlighted in pink, amateurs are highlighted in aqua.| Name (rōmaji) | Name (kana) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPBA Professionals (active) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Aino Kinjō Aino Kinjo Aino Kinjō is a Japanese female professional ten-pin bowler. She is a member of the Japan Professional Bowling Association, license no. 284. Her nickname is "Bowling Queen of Okinawa."-Biography:... |
(金城愛乃) | 1 | 1 | × | 2 | △ | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | △ | 2 | △ | △ | 1 | ♥ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ○ | 1 | 1 | ♥ | 1 | ♥ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ↓ | × | ♥ | |
| Aki Nawa Aki Nawa Aki Nawa is a Japanese female professional ten-pin bowler. She is a member of the Japan Professional Bowling Association, license no. 365. Although Nawa bowls right-handed, she writes and uses chopsticks left-handed... |
(名和秋) | 2 | ☆ | ◎ | 1 | 2 | ○ | 1 | 1 | ○ | 2 | 2 | 2 | ◎ | 1 | ♥ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ↓ | × | ♥ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ♥ | 1 | 1 | ↓ | × | ○ | 1 | 1 | |
| Aki Suzuki | (鈴木亜季) | ○ | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Akiko Tanigawa Akiko Tanigawa Akiko Tanigawa is a Japanese female professional ten-pin bowler. She is a member of the Japan Professional Bowling Association, license no. 389.- Major accomplishments :* 2006 - Tokai Women's Open... |
(谷川章子) | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ☆ | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ♥ | 1 | 1 | ◎ | ◎ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ♥ | ♥ | 1 | ♥ | ↓ | × | 1 | |
| Ayano Katai | (片井文乃) | ○ | 1 | △ | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ○ | 1 | ◎ | 1 | ◎ | 1 | 1 | × | 1 | 1 | 1 | ↓ | × | ♥ | ☆ | × | ♥ | ◎ | 1 | ↓ | × | ↓ | × | ○ | #2 - #24 - Japan National Team #26 and up - as a JPBA member. |
|
| Hiromi Matsunaga Hiromi Matsunaga Hiromi Matsunaga is a Japanese female professional ten-pin bowler. She is a member of the Japan Professional Bowling Association, license no... |
(松永裕美) | △ | ◎ | ◎ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ♥ | × | × | ○ | ☆ | ☆ | ♥ | ☆ | ♥ | 1 | ♥ | ○ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ☆ | ☆ | ☆ | ☆ | 1 | ||||||||
| Masami Hasegawa | (長谷川真実) | △ | × | 1 | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | ♥ | 1 | ♥ | 1 | ♥ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ♥ | ♥ | ♥ | 1 | 1 | ↓ | × | ↓ | ♥ | ↓ | × | |||
| Masami Satō | (佐藤まさみ) | ☆ | ♥ | 1 | ↓ | × | ○ | 1 | ♥ | 1 | 1 | ↓ | × | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mayumi Yoshida | (吉田真由美) | ☆ | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ◎ | ○ | × | × | × | × | × | × | 1 | ◎ | 1 | 1 | ♥ | ◎ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ◎ | ☆ | ♥ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ↓ | × | ◎ | 1 | |
| Miho Yanagii | (柳美穂) | ♥ | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mika Sakai Mika Sakai Mika Sakai is a Japanese female professional ten-pin bowler. She is a member of the Japan Professional Bowling Association, license no. 268. Sakai is also a team member of the DHC Ladies Bowling Tour.... |
(酒井美佳) | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ○ | 2 | 2 | 1 | ◎ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ♥ | ♥ | ♥ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ♥ | 1 | 1 | ↓ | × | ◎ | ↓ | × | ↓ | × | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Miki Nishimura Miki Nishimura Miki Nishimura is a Japanese female professional ten-pin bowler. She is a member of the Japan Professional Bowling Association, license no... |
(西村美紀) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ○ | ♥ | 1 | 1 | ↓ | × | 1 | ☆ | 1 | 1 | ○ | ◎ | 1 | 1 | ◎ | ||||||||||||||
| Mitsuki Nakamura | (中村美月) | ↓ | × | 1 | ♥ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ↓ | × | 1 | ↓ | × | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Risa Suzuki | (鈴木理沙) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ↓ | × | 1 | 1 | 1 | ♥ | 1 | ↓ | × | 1 | ♥ | 1 | ↓ | × | ||||||||||||||
| Sanae Mori | (森彩奈江) | 1 | × | × | × | × | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ○ | ♥ | ○ | 1 | 1 | ♥ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ○ | ↓ | × | 1 | ◎ | 1 | 1 | ♥ | ◎ | ○ | ♥ | 1 | ♥ | #3 - as an amateur. #8 and up - as a JPBA member |
||
| Suzuna Miyagi | (宮城鈴菜) | × | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ◎ | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ♥ | × | 1 | ♥ | × | × | × | × | × | × | × | 1 | ↓ | × | 1 | 1 | #2 thru #18 - Japan National Team #20 and up - as JPBA member |
| Urara Himeji | (姫路麗) | 2 | 1 | 2 | ☆ | ◎ | 1 | ☆ | ◎ | 1 | 1 | ○ | 1 | ☆ | 1 | 1 | ○ | ☆ | ♥ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ○ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ☆ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ↓ | × | ☆ | |
| Yūka Kishida | (岸田有加) | ↓ | × | 1 | 1 | 1 | ♥ | ♥ | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Yūko Nakatani | (中谷優子) | ○ | 1 | × | 1 | ☆ | 1 | 2 | 1 | △ | 1 | ☆ | 2 | ♥ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ◎ | 1 | ☆ | 1 | ♥ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ♥ | 1 | 1 | ↓ | × | |
| Japan National Team (active) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Junko Harigaya | (張ヶ谷順子) | 1 | ♥ | ☆ | ♥ | 1 | ◎ | ↓ | × | #26 thru 30 - Amateur #31 present - Japan National Team First winner to come directly from JBC without affiliation to Japan National Team. |
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| Misaki Mukotani | (向谷美咲) | ↓ | × | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nao Ōishi | (大石奈緒) | 2 | ☆ | 1 | ☆ | ○ | ☆ | ◎ | 1 | 1 | ♥ | ◎ | 1 | ↓ | × | 1 | ○ | 1 | ◎ | 1 | 1 | ↓ | × | ♥ | Japan National Team | ||||||||||
| Rina Asada | (浅田梨奈) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ♥ | 1 | 1 | ○ | 1 | 1 | ☆ | 1 | 1 | ↓ | × | ○ | 1 | 1 | × | 1 | 1 | #6 thru #8 - as a junior amateur. #9 and up - Japan National Team. |
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| JBC Amateurs (active) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Natsumi Koizumi | (小泉奈津美) | 1 | × | ♥ | 1 | 1 | ○ | ↓ | × | 1 | ♥ | × | ♥ | 1 | ♥ | 1 | #19 thru 30 - Japan National Team | ||||||||||||||||||
Non-active
| Name (rōmaji) | Name (kana) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | Remarks | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPBA Professionals (no longer active) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hiroko Shimizu Hiroko Shimizu Hiroko Shimizu is a Japanese female professional ten-pin bowler. She is a member of the Ladies Bowling Organization of Japan, license no. 1. In April 2010, Shimizu officially resigned from the Japan Professional Bowling Association , and joined the LBO... |
(清水弘子) | ◎ | 1 | ○ | 1 | ○ | ☆ | 2 | ☆ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ☆ | ♥ | 1 | 1 | ◎ | 1 | 1 | ↓ | × | ↓ | 1 | Resigned from JPBA after #25 | |||
| Mai Takasaka | (高坂麻衣) | 2 | 1 | 2 | △ | 1 | ☆ | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ♥ | ◎ | 1 | 1 | ○ | ♥ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Resigned from JPBA after #25 | ||||||
| Masami Abe | (阿部聖水) | 1 | #4 - competed as Misa Abe (阿部美佐) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mika Satō | (佐藤美香) | 2 | ◎ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nachimi Itakura Nachimi Itakura Nachimi Itakura is a Japanese female professional ten-pin bowler. She is a member of the Japan Professional Bowling Association, license no. 372.- Biography :... |
(板倉奈智美) | 1 | 2 | × | ◎ | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reika Sakai | (酒井玲佳) | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | △ | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Yūki Yamamoto | (山本由紀) | 1 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Yukie Koyama | (小山幸恵) | ☆ | #3 - competed as Yukie Satō (佐藤幸恵) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Yurika Ōyama | (大山由里香) | △ | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| JBC Japan National Team (no longer active) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kaori Ishizuka | (石塚香織) | 1 | Japan National Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Maya Takemata | (竹俣茉耶) | 2 | △ | 1 | × | 1 | 1 | Japan National Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kumi Tsuzawa | (津澤久美) | × | 1 | 2 | ○ | 1 | 1 | 1 | Japan National Team | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Rie Totsuka | (戸塚里恵) | △ | 1 | 1 | × | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ○ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Japan National Team | ||||||||||||
☆-Champion, ◎-2nd Place, ○-3rd Place, △-4th Place (#1 thru 13), 1-Eliminated in 1st Round, 2-Eliminated in 2nd Round (#1 thru #12), ♥-Eliminated in ABC/DEF matches (#13-), ×-Did not compete, ↓-Low score in A-F matches (#20 thru 30) or in a match (#31-). Professional bowlers are highlighted in pink, amateurs are highlighted in aqua.
Reporters
- Mitsuaki Ogawa (小川光明)
- Ryo Itsuno (伊津野亮)
- Daisuke Fujita (藤田大介)
- Masumi Yamamoto (山本真純)
- Saki NakajimaSaki Nakajima (singer)is a member of C-ute, a Japanese pop group within Hello! Project.- History :Nakajima first joined Hello! Project in 2002 as one of the fifteen children chosen from the Hello! Project Kids auditions after performing "Dekkai Uchuu ni Ai ga Aru" by Morning Musume.In 2004 Berryz Kobo was formed, with...
(中島早貴) (supporter) - Mai Yamagishi (山岸舞彩) (assistant)
- Saki Oshiro (大城さき) (assistant)
Wild card
Starting with Tournament 13, a wild card was chosen - the player with the highest score among the ABC and DEF matches, but not winning her match. The wild card bowls against the winners of the ABC and DEF matches, in the final match.| Round | Bowler | ABC/DEF Score | Final Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Urara Himeji | 259 | Win |
| 14 | Ayano Katai | 228 | 2nd |
| 15 | Hiroko Shimizu | 226 | Win |
| 16 | Mayumi Yoshida | 215 | 2nd |
| 17 | Urara Himeji | 279 | Win |
| 18 | Hiromi Matsunaga | 235 | Win |
| 19 | Hiroko Shimizu | 208 | 2nd |
| 20 | Rina Asada | 204 | 3rd |
| 21 | Nao Ōishi | 238 | 2nd |
| 22 | Aino Kinjō | 214 | 3rd |
| 23 | Akiko Tanigawa | 221 | 2nd |
| 24 | Ayano Katai | 232 | Win |
| 25 | Mayumi Yoshida | 203 | Win |
| 26 | Miki Nishimura | 213 | Win |
| 27 | Masami Satō | 214 | 3rd |
| 28 | Nao Ōishi | 213 | 2nd |
| 29 | Miki Nishimura | 172 | 3rd |
| 30 | Miki Nishimura | 210 | 2nd |
| 31 | Aki Nawa | 224 | 3rd |
| 32 | Mayumi Yoshida | 204 | 2nd |
| 33 | Ayano Katai | 217 | 3rd |
Replacement system
- From Tournaments 20 through 28, bowlers with the two lowest scores in Round 1 were banned from participating in the next P-League Tournament; the two bowlers previously banned were used as the replacements.
- In Tournaments 29 and 30, the three lowest scores in Round 1 were banned from participating in the next P-League Tournament; the three bowlers previously banned were used as replacements.
- Starting with Tournament 31, the lowest scorer in each of the A through F matches will be banned from the next tournament. This system brings the number of banned bowlers to six.
Tournament Lowest scores Notes Replacements in
next tournament20 Suzuki：179
Nawa：169Risa Suzuki and Aki Nawa become the first two bowlers to be banned under the new system. Natsumi Koizumi replaces Suzuna Miyagi's vacant spot within the JBC National Team. Rookie RookieRookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
Mitsuki Nakamura is added to the JPBA roster.Koizumi,
Nakamura21 Nakamura：185
Katai：181Suzuna Miyagi leaves P-League permanently. Masami Satō replaces Miyagi. Nawa
Suzuki,
Satō22 Shimizu：158
Mori：150Katai,
Nakamura23 Ōishi：170
Nishimura：167Shimizu,
Mori24 Shimizu：159
M. Sakai：146Ayano Katai leaves JBC and applies for JPBA. Hiroko Shimizu replaces Katai despite her 2nd lowest score in #24. Ōishi,
Nishimura,
Shimizu25 Satō：165
Koizumi：164Hiroko Shimizu and Mai Takasaka leave P-League permanently, both resigning from JPBA and joining LBO LBOLBO may refer to:* large bowel obstruction* Leveraged buyout, a method of acquiring a company* Lithium triborate , substance* Left Business Observer, an economics newsletter published by Doug Henwood...
. Ayano Katai returns as a new JPBA member.M. Sakai,
Katai,
Kishida,
Harigaya26 Kishida:171
Asada:161Satō,
Koizumi27 M. Sakai:162
Suzuki:154Kishida,
Asada28 Hasegawa:183
Nakamura:172M. Sakai,
Suzuki,
Miyagi29 Katai:178
Nawa:174
M. Sakai:165Natsumi Koizumi went on a foreign tour, leaving her unable to participate in this tournament. Suzuna Miyagi takes her place. The rules have changed from the lowest two scores to the lowest three starting from this tournament. Hasegawa,
Nakamura,
Koizumi30 Yoshida:178
Hasegawa:178
Miyagi:159Katai,
Nawa,
M. Sakai31 Nakamura:180
Ōishi:165
Tanigawa:168
Katai:183
Kinjō:173
Himeji:166Rules have changed from the lowest three scores in 1st round, to the lowest score in each of the six 1st round matches. Hasegawa returned to #31, replacing Asada, despite low score in #30. Yoshida,
Miyagi,
Aki Suzuki,
Yanagii,
Mukotani,
Asada32 Nakatani:197
Harigaya:191
R. Suzuki:168
Mukotani:206
Satō:201
Hasegawa:167Nakamura
Ōishi
Tanigawa
Katai
Kinjō
Himeji33 Kishida:164
Yanagii:160
Asada:200
Nakamura:191
Koizumi:186
Nawa:185Shimoide
Harigaya
Sasaki
Mukotani
Kobayashi
Hasegawa
Scoring average
Scoring average of active bowlers, with a minimum of games (16.5) equaling half of the tournaments (33).| Pos | Bowler | Average | Total | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hiromi Matsunaga | 230.7 | 12,688 | 55 |
| 2 | Urara Himeji | 219.9 | 13,415 | 61 |
| 3 | Nao Ōishi | 219.7 | 9,008 | 41 |
| 4 | Yūko Nakatani | 214.3 | 10,930 | 51 |
| 5 | Sanae Mori | 210.6 | 9,475 | 45 |
| 6 | Akiko Tanigawa | 209.3 | 9,838 | 47 |
| 7 | Aki Nawa | 208.7 | 11,272 | 54 |
| 8 | Ayano Katai | 208.2 | 10,620 | 51 |
| 9 | Miki Nishimura | 207.4 | 6,430 | 31 |
| 10 | Masami Satō | 206.0 | 3,296 | 16 |
Records
- Number of tournament wins: Matsunaga (7)
- Number of continuous tournament wins: Matsunaga (4)
- Number of continuous strikes, single game: 10 strikes, made by Matsunaga (T17), and Himeji (T18)
- Most strikes in a single game: 11 strikes, made by Mori (T13) and Himeji (T17)
- High score, single game: 289, scored by Himeji (T18)
- Highest two scores in a single match, scored by Matsunaga (288) and Himeji (279) (T17)
- Highest four-game total (T1-12): 258, 247, 235, 254 = 994, scored by Ōishi (T12)
- Highest three-game total (T13-): 278, 288, 215 = 781, scored by Matsunaga (T17)