Olympics stars and global sevens talent set to light up Japan's 2026 Women's Sevens Series

The Taiyo Seimei Women’s Sevens Series returns for its 12th edition this weekend, with a deeper international cast than ever before set to compete across four tournaments in Japan between June and August 2026.

Three regular-season rounds will be held in Kumagaya (20–21 June), Tochigi and Kitakyushu, before a grand final wraps up the series in Sapporo on 9 August. The 12-team competition features clubs drawn from across Japan, with nearly the entire Japanese women’s sevens squad represented — alongside a wave of high-profile overseas signings.

Three-time defending champions Nagato Blue Angels have assembled arguably the most star-studded roster, recruiting Australian sevens internationals Mackenzie Davis, Amahlia Hala and Kahli Henwood. They will line up alongside Japan stars Yume Hirano, Mei Ohtani and Sakurako Yazaki, Fijian international Ana Naimasi, Chinese Olympian Chen Keyi, and Brazilian star Bianca Silva, who returns for a second season with the club.

“I am very happy and honoured to have the opportunity to return to Nagato Blue Angels for another season,” Silva said. “Japan has had a profound impact on my career, not only because of winning the championship, but also due to the personal and professional growth I experienced here.”

Their most likely challengers are the Mie Pearls, who have signed Australian breakout star Heidi Dennis, GB sevens international Ellie Boatman and Canada’s Monique Coffey. Brazilian duo Thaila Costa and Gabriella Lima, along with Japan sevens players Mio Yamanaka, Michiyo Suda, Mao Higuchi and Natsuzuki Ouchida, complete a formidable squad.

Boatman, who missed last year’s series through injury, expressed her eagerness to finally take part. “I’m so excited to be joining the Pearls this summer and be a part of a really exciting group of women,” she said. “I can’t wait for this amazing opportunity to make some new friends and memories but also play in a very competitive sevens league in Japan.”

The international flavour extends well beyond those two clubs. Thailand’s top try scorer Jirawan Chutrakun has joined Nanairo Prism Fukuoka, Super Rugby Aupiki standout Kahlia Awa will turn out for Yokohama TKM, and the Hokkaido Barbarians Diana have recruited Australian A international Emmisyn Wynyard alongside Ugandan international Emilly Lekulu.

A notable addition to the competition structure is a special challenger side composed of JRFU Sevens Youth Academy players — athletes earmarked as the future of Japan’s women’s sevens programme at international level.