HISTORIC FIRST: JAPAN ENTERS THE CIGAR SMOKING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STAGE IN STYLE

The city of Chiba, just outside Tokyo, witnessed cigar history as Japan hosted its first-ever Cigar Smoking World Championship (CSWC by Oliva Cigars) qualifying event — and it was nothing short of spectacular.

The competition unfolded inside the elegant Liqueur Plaza, owned by Yuzo Ohkoshi — Japan’s largest online cigar distributor and a true pillar of the nation’s cigar culture.

Event was fully supportedby one of the major partners - Life Style LLC

The venue, a sophisticated blend of restaurant and lounge, provided the perfect stage for what many called “the slowest race on the planet”.

Leading the proceedings was none other than Nobuhiro Nakamura, CSWC’s legendary Japanese organizer and judge.

This year he was joined by an exceptional new judge, Motohiko Sato, who had recently been trained in Italy by Sara Sanders. This was Sato’s debut as an official judge — a performance so smooth that many believe he’s destined to become one of the best in the world.

From the first puff, the atmosphere was electric. Competitors leaned into their cigars, eyes fixed on the slow burn, while friends and supporters cheered them on. Among them, Syo “Watchman” Aghajy emerged as the man to beat — and he did not disappoint. With a steady hand and iron focus, Watchman outlasted them all, winning with a time of 1 hour, 24 minutes, and 8 seconds.

Runner-up Akihiro Tashiro came incredibly close with 1:20:15, followed by Masato Ishizuki with 1:16:52. The women’s spotlight belonged to Ayame Matsunaga, crowned Miss Cigar Japan 2025, who delivered a graceful performance of 56 minutes and 12 seconds.

Event host Yuzo Ohkoshi, along with top competitors Yoshito Yamamoto and Yuto Akiyoshi and several others will now be traveling to Split, Croatia, to represent Japan on the world stage at the CSWC Grand Final.

After the last ember went out, the evening transformed into something truly magical. Yuzo Ohkoshi invited guests to his family’s traditional Japanese restaurant, where his own mother cooked a heartfelt feast.

Guests savored authentic home-cooked Japanese dishes, special spirits from Ohkoshi’s private collection, and exquisite cigars — a once-in-a-lifetime combination that brought the night to a perfect close.

For Marko Bilić, founder of the Cigar Smoking World Championship, the event carried a special emotional weight:

“Being in Japan for the first time, surrounded by such warm, passionate people, and seeing the CSWC spirit come alive here — it’s unforgettable.”

The hospitality didn’t end there. Over the following days, Nakamura and Sato ensured that Bilić experienced Japan’s cigar scene at its finest, guiding him through Tokyo’s top cigar lounges and creating memories to last a lifetime.

Japan’s CSWC debut was more than a competition — it was the birth of a new chapter in the country’s cigar culture. And if the spirit, passion, and skill shown in Chiba are any indication, Japan is here to stay in the world of slow smoking.

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