About Takeshi Matsuura
Takeshi Matsuura is a Japanese yo-yo competitor from Saitama Prefecture who is widely considered one of the most accomplished players in the sport’s history. He began playing in first grade after encountering the 2003 Hyper Yo-Yo promotion in Japan, and quickly gravitated toward the 5A (counterweight) style, drawn by what he described as the shock of discovering “there’s such a division in yo-yoing.” His rise through competition was swift: by 2008 he had won his first World Yo-Yo Contest title in 5A, becoming at that time the youngest person ever to win a world championship in the sport.
Matsuura went on to win seven 5A world titles in total—in 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2016—placing him second in all-time world championship wins alongside Rei Iwakura and Hajime Miura, behind only Shinji Saito’s thirteen titles. His only two losses in the World 5A division came against American competitors: Tyler Severance in 2007, and Jake Elliott in 2015, where Elliott edged him out by three hundredths of a point (84.93 to 84.90) in what stands as the closest 1st-place margin in WYYC history. Beyond 5A, Matsuura developed into an elite 1A competitor, placing 2nd at Worlds in 1A in both 2014 (behind Gentry Stein) and 2018 (behind Evan Nagao).
At the Japan National Yo-Yo Contest, Matsuura made history as the first—and still only—player to win titles in three different divisions. He claimed 5A and 3A titles in the same year in 2010, and added a 1A national title in 2014. His 2014 1A national freestyle was noted at the time as one of the most technically demanding routines ever performed at a national-level event. For his achievements, Saitama Prefecture awarded him the Global Award and named him a Saitama Goodwill Ambassador. Since stepping back from formal competition after 2018, Matsuura has remained active in the community, organizing Chain Reaction, an exhibition event in Tokyo designed to reward technical play outside the constraints of standard contest judging.
As a sponsored player for Turning Point, Matsuura has collaborated on a long line of signature models spanning more than a decade: the Palpitation (2014), Shake (2014), Colony (2016), St. Elmo (2018), Hinemosu (2021), Acanthus (2022), Acanthus S (2023), and St. Tempest (2026). His throws span both 1A and 5A performance envelopes, reflecting his dual mastery of the styles. He also runs his own brand, Mavetrick, through which he has sold throws and published tutorial content.
In His Own Words
The following Q&A is drawn from an interview conducted by the 2015 World Yo-Yo Contest organization, published July 27, 2015 on YoYoNews.
Q: When did you start playing yo-yo?
“When I was in 1st Grade in Elementary School!”
Q: Why did you start playing yo-yo?
“Because of the 2003 Hyper Yo-Yo [promotion]!”
Q: What made you choose 5A as your main style?
“I was shocked to realize ‘There’s such a division in yo-yoing!’ and it seemed interesting!”
Q: Last year you were also the runner-up in the WYYC 1A Division. Do you plan to enter any other divisions?
“I haven’t really decided, but if I start to feel like I want to enter [a division] I will!”
Q: How do you usually practice?
“Usually I don’t play yo-yo in a ‘practicing’ sense. I just kind of do what I want to do.”
Q: How does that change when preparing for contests?
“Before contests I rent a room in the community center and practice in a wide-open space.”
Q: Is there anything that changed for you after becoming a world champion?
“I received the Global Award from my home prefecture, Saitama, and became a Saitama Goodwill Ambassador!”
Q: What is yo-yo to you?
“[Yo-Yo is] Something that continues to broaden my world!”
