Naohisa Takato
Naohisa Takato is a Japanese judo athlete who competes in the extra-lightweight division (-60 kg). He was born on May 30, 1993, in Hasuda, Saitama, Japan, and started judo at age 7. He studied at Sagami junior high and high school and Tokai University, graduating in 2016, and he trains with Japan’s All Japan National Team under coach Minoru Konegawa.
Takato rose to fame in 2013 by winning the World Championships in Rio de Janeiro, the Masters in Tyumen, and the Grand Slams in Paris, Tokyo, and Moscow. He reached world No. 1 in 2013–2014 and is known for a modern fighting style and the drop kata guruma.
His Olympic record includes a bronze medal at Rio 2016 and a gold medal at Tokyo 2020 (held in 2021). He has also won World Championships again in 2017, 2018, and 2022, and Asian Championships in 2017 and 2021.
Personal life: Takato married in 2014 and has a son born that year.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 04:19 (CET).