Saori Kimura

1.1. Childhood

Saori Kimura was born in Yashio, Saitama Prefecture, Japan, on August 19, 1986. Her family moved frequently due to her father's work, living in Osaka and then Tokyo, where she attended Tasei Elementary School in Akiruno, Tokyo. Influenced by her parents, particularly her mother, who both played volleyball, Kimura began playing the sport in the second grade, joining the Akigawa JVC team. This team focused heavily on defensive drills, which Kimura credits for developing her strong receiving skills. During her time with Akigawa JVC, she primarily played as a left-side hitter and led her team to victory in the Tokyo Shimbun Cup in her sixth year of elementary school. Notably, she briefly left the team for two weeks in her fourth year, desiring to spend weekends playing with friends, but this was her only break from volleyball throughout her career.

1.2. Junior High and High School Years

For her junior high education, Kimura enrolled in the prestigious Seidoku Gakuen Junior High School, where she met future teammates including Kana Oyama, Erika Araki, and Miki Oyama. Her height, which was 64 in ^{(163 cm)} upon entering junior high, significantly increased by approximately 5.9 in ^{(15 cm)} over three years. During this period, she frequently played as a middle blocker and right-side hitter, becoming a key player. She contributed to her team's victory in the All Japan Junior High Volleyball Championship and received the JOC Cup at the National Prefectural Junior High Volleyball Tournament (Aquarius Cup). Her proficiency in the "B quick" spike further diversified her gameplay. In her second year of junior high, she experienced her first volleyball-related injury, a minor fracture at the base of her left middle finger, which healed within two weeks.

In 2002, Kimura advanced to Seidoku Gakuen High School (now Shimokitazawa Seitoku High School), a renowned volleyball powerhouse. By her second year, she had become a pivotal right-side player, contributing to Seidoku's second consecutive victory in the 2003 National High School Volleyball Selection Tournament (Spring High Volleyball). Although her team placed third at the Inter-High Tournament later that August, missing a consecutive victory, Kimura was immediately invited to a training camp for the Japan women's national volleyball team. In September of the same year, she made her international debut at the Asian Championship, initially registered as a setter. In November, she participated in the 2003 World Cup as a replacement for the injured Hiromi Suzuki. In December 2003, Shimokitazawa Seitoku High achieved a historic third consecutive title at the National Private School Tournament.

In the 2004 Spring High Volleyball tournament, while aiming for a fourth consecutive title, Kimura suffered a right ankle sprain in the first set of the final after a collision with a teammate, Yumika Yokoyama. Despite receiving immediate treatment and continuing to play with a limp, her team ultimately lost 1-3 to Kyushu Bunka Gakuen. She was again called up to the national team for the 2004 Athens Olympic qualifiers. In her debut match against Italy, she achieved her first international start, scoring 14 points, and her spirited personality and innocent smile earned her the nickname "Super High School Girl," making her an instant sensation. She significantly contributed to the national team's qualification for the Olympics after a two-tournament absence. In June, she participated in the Inter-High Kanto qualifiers, where her team was eliminated. She then joined the national team's European training camp, playing in various tournaments, including a four-nation competition in Italy. In July, she competed in the World Grand Prix, which lasted a month, but Japan was eliminated in the preliminary round, and Kimura did not make a significant impact.

The 2004 Athens Olympics began on August 14, but Kimura's lumbar condition had severely worsened to the point where she could barely stand; she was later diagnosed with a lumbar disc herniation by a trainer from another sport at the Olympics. Consequently, she had minimal playing opportunities, concluding her first Olympic appearance with limited participation. However, witnessing the pinnacle of play during the final match between China and Russia ignited her strong desire for an Olympic medal. After the Olympics, she competed in the Asian Junior Championship in Sri Lanka. By December 2004, her back pain further deteriorated during the National Private School Tournament, her final high school competition. She briefly appeared in the second set of the final but retired without scoring any points, marking the end of her high school volleyball career.

2.1. Early Career with Toray Arrows (2005-2012)

After graduating from high school, Saori Kimura joined Toray Arrows in 2005, marking the start of her professional career in the V.Premier League. Her potential quickly became apparent, as she was named the Best Scorer at the 13th World Junior Women's (U-20) Championship in July 2005. In the Asian Championship that September, she stepped into the role of ace, filling in for Miyuki Takahashi who was on loan to the Italian League, and delivered a strong performance.

In her inaugural V.League season, the 12th V.League, Kimura made her debut as a starting right-side hitter in the opening match. She recorded an impressive 52.0% attack efficiency and two service aces, contributing significantly to her team's first victory. She continued to be a starter, playing both left and right-side hitter positions, and was a key factor in her team's strong performance during the first half of the season. Although her attack efficiency remained stable in the latter half, she faced challenges with concentrated serves and showed some instability in serve reception, possibly due to her persistent back pain. Despite these hurdles, she finished the season ranked sixth in attack efficiency and ninth in serve effectiveness, earning her the Rookie of the Year award.

Kimura continued to achieve significant success with Toray Arrows and the national team. She participated in the 2006 World Championship and played a crucial role in Japan's victory at the 2007 Asian Championship, where she also received the Best Server award. In 2007, she led Toray Arrows to become the inaugural champions of the Empress's Cup. Her contributions helped Toray secure their first league title in the 2007-08 V.Premier League, for which she was named to the Best 6. In August 2008, she competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

In 2009, Kimura played an integral part in Toray Arrows' historic second consecutive V.Premier League title, earning her a spot in the Best 6 for the second consecutive year as the highest-scoring Japanese player. In May, she won her first Kurowashiki All Japan Volleyball Championship, where she was also awarded the prestigious Kurowashi Award (Most Valuable Player) and Best 6. In 2010, her sister, Misato Kimura, also joined Toray Arrows.

Kimura's remarkable performance continued into the 2009-10 V.Premier League season, where she led Toray Arrows to an unprecedented third consecutive title. She was named the league's MVP for the first time and received her third consecutive Best 6 award. During the regular season, she set a new V.League record for most points by a Japanese player, accumulating 566 points (496 in attack, 43 in blocks, 27 in serves), earning her the V.League Japan Record Award for Most Points. In May 2010, she once again received the Kurowashi Award and Best 6 at the 59th Kurowashiki All Japan Volleyball Championship, marking her second consecutive MVP title at the tournament. In the final match against JT, she delivered a standout performance, scoring 14 points by herself in the third set.

In the 2010 World Grand Prix, Kimura served as the interim vice-captain due to Megumi Kurihara's injury. She played a central role in both offense and defense, leading her team with 165 points in the preliminary round and 105 points in the final round, earning the Best Scorer title in both stages. The team showed significant improvement, defeating Italy twice and securing a victory against Brazil for the first time in nine years, ultimately finishing fifth. In November of the same year, she was a crucial component in Japan's bronze medal win at the 2010 World Championship, their first medal in 32 years. Playing almost every minute as the team's ace, she ranked second overall in the best scorer standings, only behind Neslihan Demir of Turkey, and led all players in attack attempts, serve receptions, and serve attempts.

In the 2011 World Cup, Kimura and her team initially struggled, partly due to experimenting with faster sets and the departure of key members before the tournament. However, as younger players stepped up, the team gradually solidified their performance, culminating in a dominant five-match winning streak, including straight-set victories against then-world number one Brazil and number two USA. Despite their late surge, Japan finished fourth, narrowly missing out on a spot in the London Olympics. Individually, after a challenging start, Kimura's performance stabilized, and she concluded the tournament ranked fourth in best scorer, fifth in best attacker, thirteenth in best blocker, eleventh in best server, third in best receiver, and tenth in best digger. Her top rankings among non-libero players in both receiving and digging underscored her exceptional defensive capabilities.

In 2012, Kimura once again played a pivotal role in Toray Arrows' fourth V.Premier League championship victory. In the final match, she scored a match-high 20 points, earning her a spot in the Best 6 for the fifth consecutive year. During the latter part of the second leg of the season, she sustained an ankle sprain during team practice, which was diagnosed with a three-week recovery period. She did not accompany the team to the Gifu tournament on February 11 and 12, 2012, and remained on the bench for the subsequent Yamagata tournament. In her effective return match against Okayama Seagulls on February 25, she struggled significantly, scoring only two points in attack and being substituted in the second set. According to her teammate, setter Hitomi Nakamichi, Kimura was uncharacteristically tense and silent during the next morning's practice. As a result, Nakamichi made an effort to set to Kimura as much as possible in the following day's match (February 26 against Hisamitsu Springs). Despite her recent injury, Kimura played the entire match, scoring a team-high 24 points and leading her team to victory.

2.2. Overseas League Experience (2012-2014)

On July 10, 2012, following her participation in the London Olympics, Toray Arrows announced that Saori Kimura would transfer to VakıfBank Türk Telekom in the Turkish League for the 2012-13 season. Her reported annual salary was approximately 1.00 B JPY. On August 16, she signed a management contract with Sports Biz. She departed from Narita Airport for Turkey on September 7, expressing her desire to grow in various aspects of her career. On the same day, she launched her official blog, "Saori Kimura's Turkish Struggle Journal," on Ameba Blog, which was updated only during her time in Turkey. On September 10, she attended her induction press conference in Istanbul, where she unveiled her new jersey with the number "18," a number she wore at the London Olympics and during her initial call-up to the national team. At the end of September, she officially resigned from Toray Industries, Inc., and left Toray Arrows.

In 2013, Kimura signed sponsorship agreements with Tokyo Nishikawa, a bedding manufacturer, on January 31, and with Turkish Airlines, as their official airline partner, on March 12. In March, VakıfBank won the CEV Women's Champions League. While Kimura often started in the preliminary rounds, she struggled with spiking and was primarily used as a relief server and for defensive reinforcement after the Playoff 12 stage. In the final against Rabita Baku, she made crucial contributions in all three sets through her serving and serve reception from the back row. After the final, she expressed her satisfaction, stating, "I really wanted to win, so I'm very glad we did. I feel very lucky. I believed my main role was to attack with my serve and change the flow to our favor, maintaining the team's good rhythm." Her coach, Giovanni Guidetti, praised her performance as "almost perfect." The semi-final match against Galatasaray Daikin, where her former teammate Yuko Sano played, marked the first-ever Final Four match featuring two Japanese players. This match, along with the final, was broadcast live on BS Fuji. VakıfBank went on to win both the Turkish Cup and the Turkish League, completing an unprecedented triple crown with 47 consecutive victories in official matches, ending the season in remarkable fashion.

On May 13, 2013, Masayoshi Manabe, the coach of the Japan women's national volleyball team, appointed Kimura as the new captain of the national team, a role she had never held before in her career. Although she had initially decided to retire after the 2012-13 season, she publicly stated that Manabe's passionate persuasion convinced her to reconsider. Inspired by the leadership of former captain Yoshie Takeshita, Kimura requested to wear Takeshita's former jersey number, "3," symbolizing her desire to inherit her predecessor's captaincy. On June 3, Daikin Industries, a sponsor of Galatasaray, announced Kimura's transfer from VakıfBank to Galatasaray.

2.3. Return to Toray Arrows and Retirement (2014-2017)

On June 5, 2014, after two years playing in Turkey, Saori Kimura's return to Toray Arrows was officially announced. This time, she signed her first professional contract with Toray, for a two-year term, marking a significant milestone in her career. Before the 2015 World Cup in August, Kimura cut 12 in ^{(30 cm)} of her hair, which she had been growing since the London Olympics and typically wore in a single braid during matches, for the tournament.

During the Rio de Janeiro Olympic World Final Qualifier in May 2016, Kimura sustained a right pinky finger injury in the first set of the match against South Korea. Despite the injury, she entered the crucial fourth day's match against Thailand from the second set onwards. In a pivotal moment during the final set, with her team at a disadvantage, Kimura gathered her teammates on the court, and all six players joined hands in a circle. Her continued efforts helped Japan secure their Olympic berth on the sixth day of the qualifier. With this qualification, Kimura made history by becoming the first Japanese indoor volleyball player to participate in four consecutive Olympic Games.

On December 31, 2016, Kimura announced her marriage to Yujiro Hidaka, a former indoor and beach volleyball player. On March 22, 2017, she held a press conference to formally announce her retirement from professional volleyball. She cited the quarter-final match against China at the 2012 London Olympics as the most memorable game of her career.

3.1. National Team Debut and Early Olympic Appearances

Saori Kimura was first selected to the Japan women's national volleyball team in 2003, during her second year of high school, under the guidance of coach Shoichi Yanagimoto. She made her senior international debut at the 2003 FIVB Women's World Cup. She quickly established herself as a consistent presence on the national team, participating in her first Olympic Games at the 2004 Athens Olympics, where Japan placed fifth. She continued to represent her country at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where Japan also finished fifth.

3.2. Major International Tournament Achievements

Kimura's national team career was distinguished by numerous appearances and medal wins in major international tournaments:

• Olympic Games
  • 2004 Athens: 5th place
  • 2008 Beijing: 5th place
  • 2012 London: Bronze medal (She played every match and was the best scorer among Japanese players, ranking 3rd overall. She was instrumental in securing Japan's first Olympic medal in 28 years in women's volleyball.)
  • 2016 Rio de Janeiro: 5th place
• World Championship
  • 2006 Japan: 6th place
  • 2010 Japan: Bronze medal (She was the team's ace, ranking 2nd overall in scoring and leading all players in attack attempts, serve receptions, and serve attempts.)
  • 2014 Italy: 7th place
• World Cup
  • 2003 Japan: 5th place
  • 2007 Japan: 7th place
  • 2011 Japan: 4th place (She finished as the 4th best scorer, 5th best attacker, 3rd best receiver, and 10th best digger, demonstrating her all-around skills.)
  • 2015 Japan: 5th place
• World Grand Champions Cup
  • 2009 Japan: 4th place
  • 2013 Japan: Bronze medal
• World Grand Prix
  • 2008 Japan: 6th place
  • 2009 Japan: 6th place
  • 2010 China: 5th place (She was the best scorer in both the preliminary and final rounds, leading the team to victories over Italy and Brazil, the latter for the first time in nine years.)
  • 2011 Macau, China: 5th place
  • 2013 Japan: 4th place
  • 2014 Japan: Silver medal
  • 2015 United States: 6th place
• Asian Games
  • 2006 Doha: Silver medal
• Asian Championship
  • 2003: Silver medal
  • 2005 China: Bronze medal
  • 2007 Suphanburi: Gold medal (She was awarded the Best Server.)
  • 2009 Hanoi: Bronze medal (She was awarded the Best Server.)
  • 2011 Taipei: Silver medal
  • 2013 Nakhon Ratchasima: Silver medal
• Other Tournaments
  • 2010 Piemonte Woman Cup Tournament, Italy: Gold medal (Also MVP and Best Server.)
  • 2011 Montreux Volley Masters, Switzerland: Gold medal
  • 2015 Montreux Volley Masters, Switzerland: Silver medal

  

3.3. National Team Captaincy

On May 13, 2013, Saori Kimura was appointed captain of the Japan women's national volleyball team by coach Masayoshi Manabe, marking the first time she held such a leadership position in her career. Although she had planned to retire after the 2012-13 season, Manabe's persistent efforts convinced her to continue playing. Her decision to take on the captaincy was deeply influenced by her desire to carry on the legacy of former captain Yoshie Takeshita, inspiring her to choose Takeshita's previous jersey number, "3." This role further highlighted her dedication and influence within the team, as she steered the "Hinotori Nippon" (Phoenixes Japan) through several major international competitions, including her fourth Olympic appearance in Rio de Janeiro. Her leadership style, often described as composed and resilient, played a significant part in shaping team dynamics and performance during her tenure.

5.1. Individual Awards

• 12th V.League: New Face Award (2005-06)
• 2007 14th Senior Asian Championship: Best Server
• 2007-08 All Japan Championship: MVP
• 2007-08 V.Premier League: Best 6
• 2008-09 V.Premier League: Best 6
• 2009 58th Kurowashi Tournament: MVP, Best 6
• 2009 Korea-Japan V.League Top Match: MIP (Most Impressive Player)
• 2009 15th Senior Asian Championship: Best Server
• 2009-10 V.Premier League: MVP (Most Valuable Player), Best 6, V.League Japan Record Award (Most Points)
• 2010 Korea-Japan V.League Top Match: MVP
• 2010 59th Kurowashiki Tournament: MVP, Best 6
• 2010 Piemonte Woman Cup Tournament: MVP, Best Server
• 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix: Best Scorer
• 2010-11 V.Premier League: Excellent Player Award, Best 6
• 2011 60th Kurowashi Tournament: Best 6
• 2011-12 V.Premier League: Best 6
• 66th Japan Sports Award: Best Athlete Award (2016)
• V.League Honor Award & Service Award (2017)

5.2. Club Honors

• Toray Arrows
  • Domestic Sports Festival: Champion (2007), Runner-Up (2008)
  • Empress's Cup: Champion (2007-08, 2011-12), Runner-Up (2010-11)
  • V.Premier League: Champion (2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2011-12), Runner-Up (2010-11)
  • Kurowashiki All Japan Volleyball Championship: Champion (2009, 2010)
• VakıfBank SK
  • Turkish Cup: Champion (2012-13)
  • CEV Women's Champions League: Champion (2012-13)
  • Turkish Women's Volleyball League: Champion (2012-13)

8.1. Media Appearances and Commercial Engagements

Kimura has made numerous appearances across various media platforms. In television, she was featured in documentary and sports programs such as "Birth Day" (2011, 2012), "Jounetsu Tairiku" (2011, 2012), "Athlete no Chikara" (2012), "Athlete no Tamashii" (2012), "Hadaka no Athlete" (2012, 2013), "Hanamaru Market" (2012), "Sekine Tsutomu no Supopara" (2012), "Athlete no Kiseki" (2012), and "STEP FORWARD" (2012, 2013). She also appeared in "Gladiolus no Wadachi" (2013), "SPORTS X" (2013), and "Oshiete Saori Kimura-senshu" (2013).

Beyond sports-focused content, Kimura branched into variety shows, including "Totsuzen desu ga Uranatte mo Ii desu ka?" (2021) and a limited-time stint as a Wednesday season regular on Nippon TV's "Hirunandesu!" from December 2019 to January 2020. In an unusual role, she voiced herself in an episode of the popular anime series "Sazae-san" on August 23, 2015, where her character had a handshake with Katsuo Isono.

Her commercial engagements include appearing in a "Fine Play Declaration" manner poster for Keihan Electric Railway in 2007 and serving as a club support ambassador for Xebio in 2013.

8.2. Publications

Kimura has authored or been the subject of several published works:

• Saori: Saori Kimura Photo & Essay (Saori-木村沙織フォト&エッセイ^Japanese). Nihon Bunkasha. 2011.
• 232 days in Turkey: Saori Kimura Photobook (232days in Turkey -木村沙織フォトブック^Japanese). Nihon Bunkasha. 2013.

8.3. Other Ventures and Activities

In August 2018, Kimura ventured into the cafe business, temporarily opening "kimura saori 'Chocotto' cafe Gallery" at Marunouchi Sport Fes 2018. She stated that opening a cafe had been a childhood dream. In October 2019, she opened a permanent cafe named "32" (pronounced "Sunny") in Nishi-ku, Osaka, with her husband. However, she announced on Instagram that the cafe, "sunny_thirty_two_club," would close at the end of 2023. Additionally, Saori Kimura is a committee member of the Japan Volleyball Association Athlete Committee and serves as an advisory staff member for Mizuno, a prominent sportswear and equipment company.