1. Early Life and Youth Career
Ryoko Takara was born in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, on April 9, 1990. She began playing football in elementary school, where she was a key player for FC Minami. During her time with FC Minami, she participated in the JFA U-12 National Football Championship. One of her teammates during this period was later professional male footballer Taishi Taguchi.
After elementary school, Takara advanced her football training at the prestigious Kamimura Gakuen Junior and Senior High School in Kagoshima Prefecture. She attended Kamimura Gakuen Junior High School from 2003 to 2005 and Kamimura Gakuen High School from 2006 to 2008, honing her skills in a renowned football environment.
2. Club Career
Takara commenced her professional club career in 2009, joining INAC Kobe Leonessa. During her tenure with INAC Kobe Leonessa from 2009 to 2012, she made a significant impact. In 2009, she also represented the U-19 Japan national team at the AFC U-19 Women's Championship held in Wuhan, China. However, on August 12, 2009, she reported feeling unwell, and after returning to Japan, was confirmed on August 18 to have been infected with the H1N1 influenza virus following a medical examination in Kobe. Despite her condition improving to normal temperature by August 14 with the aid of Tamiflu, she underwent isolation and hospitalization in Kobe.
On January 21, 2013, it was announced that Takara would transfer to Vegalta Sendai Ladies. She played for Vegalta Sendai Ladies from 2013 to 2016, becoming a key player for the team.
In a move to the Norwegian Toppserien (the top-tier women's football league in Norway), Takara completed a full transfer to LSK Kvinner FK on March 21, 2017. She played one season with LSK Kvinner before announcing her retirement. Ryoko Takara is 62 in (158 cm) tall and weighs 112 lb (51 kg).
3. National Team Career
Ryoko Takara made her debut for the Japan women's national football team on September 22, 2013, in a friendly match against the Nigerian national team. The match, an international friendly, was held at Nagasaki Athletic Stadium in Isahaya, Japan, which Japan won 2-0.
She continued to represent the Japan national team until 2015, playing a total of three international matches. Her national team appearances were primarily under the management of coach Norio Sasaki. In 2015, she participated in the EAFF Women's East Asian Cup 2015, playing in matches against North Korea and China in Wuhan, China.
4. Statistics
This section provides detailed statistics of Ryoko Takara's career, covering both her club and national team performances.
4.1. Club Statistics
The table below details Ryoko Takara's club performance, including appearances and goals across various leagues and cup competitions.
| Season | Club | League | League Apps | League Goals | League Cup Apps | League Cup Goals | Empress's Cup Apps | Empress's Cup Goals | Total Apps | Total Goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Kamimura Gakuen High School | - | 14 | 0 | - | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 2009 | INAC Kobe Leonessa | Nadeshiko Div.1 | 12 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | ||
| 2010 | Nadeshiko League | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 0 | ||
| 2011 | 20 | 13 | - | 3 | 0 | 16 | 0 | ||||
| 2012 | 13 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 22 | 2 | |||
| 2013 | Vegalta Sendai Ladies | Nadeshiko League | 17 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 27 | 2 | |
| 2014 | 24 | 3 | - | 3 | 0 | 27 | 3 | ||||
| 2015 | Nadeshiko League Division 1 | 23 | 0 | - | 1 | 0 | 24 | 0 | |||
| 2016 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 1 | |||
| 2017 | LSK Kvinner FK | Toppserien | |||||||||
| Total Professional Club Career | 112 | 6 | 18 | 1 | 19 | 1 | 149 | 8 | |||
| Overall Career Total (incl. youth Empress's Cup appearances) | 112 | 6 | 18 | 1 | 21 | 3 | 150 | 10 | |||
4.2. National Team Statistics
Ryoko Takara played three matches for the Japan national team during her international career.
| Japan national team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2013 | 1 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 3 | 0 |
4.2.1. National Team Match List
The following table provides a detailed list of Ryoko Takara's appearances for the Japan women's national football team.
| # | Date | Host City | Stadium | Opponent | Result | Manager | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | September 22, 2013 | {{Map:title=Isahaya|q=Isahaya, Japan|position=left}} | Nagasaki Athletic Stadium | Nigeria | W 2-0 | Norio Sasaki | International Friendly |
| 2. | August 1, 2015 | {{Map:title=Wuhan|q=Wuhan, China|position=right}} | Wuhan Sports Center Stadium | North Korea | L 2-4 | EAFF Women's East Asian Cup 2015 | |
| 3. | August 8, 2015 | Wuhan | Wuhan Sports Center Stadium | China PR | W 2-0 |
5. Retirement
Ryoko Takara announced her retirement from professional football on January 11, 2018, following the conclusion of the 2017 season with LSK Kvinner.