# Noriko Nakayama

Noriko Nakayama (née Takagi; born 1943) is a Japanese former badminton player, the first true international badminton star from that nation, who won numerous Japanese national and major international titles from the mid-1960s to the early 1970s.
Nakayama claimed seven of these at the Danish Open, two in singles and five in women's doubles. She was the champion at World Invitational Championships held in Glasgow, in 1969 in Women's doubles category with Hiroe Amano. At the prestigious All-England Championships she shared the women's doubles title with her compatriot and singles rival Hiroe Yuki in 1971, and won the singles title over Yuki in 1972, having previously lost twice in the finals. She also won the women's singles event at the Olympic Games Demonstration in 1972. In four successive Uber Cup (women's international team) competitions, between 1965 and 1975 she was unbeaten in singles, thus leading the way to three world team titles for Japan. With the birth of her eldest daughter, she hung her racket in 1975. As of 2017, she is still actively associated with the sport, coaching at the local level.

## Achievements
### Olympic Games (demonstration)

Women's singles :
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1972 | Munich, West Germany | Utami Dewi | 11–5, 11–3 | Gold |

### Asian Games

Women's singles :
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1966 | Kittikachorn Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand | Sumol Chanklum | 11–0, 11–4 | Gold |
Women's doubles :
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1966 | Kittikachorn Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand | Kazuko Goto | Minarni Retno Kustijah | 5–15, 11–15 | Bronze |

### International tournaments

Women's singles :
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1967 | All England Open | Judy Hashman | 11–5, 8–11, 10–12 | Runner-up |
| 1967 | Denmark Open | Imre Rietveld | 11–5, 11–3 | Winner |
| 1968 | Singapore Open | Hiroe Yuki | 11–7, 10–12, 11–4 | Winner |
| 1968 | Denmark Open | Eva Twedberg | 9–12, 12–9, 10–12 | Runner-up |
| 1969 | All England Open | Hiroe Yuki | 5–11, 5–11 | Runner-up |
| 1969 | Denmark Open | Hiroe Yuki | 10–12, 2–11 | Runner-up |
| 1971 | U. S. Open | Hiroe Yuki | 11–5, 11–9 | Winner |
| 1971 | Canadian Open | Hiroe Yuki | 9–12, 0–11 | Runner-up |
| 1971 | Denmark Open | Hiroe Yuki | 11–7, 11–7 | Winner |
| 1972 | All England Open | Hiroe Yuki | 11–5, 3–11, 11–7 | Winner |
| 1972 | Denmark Open | Eva Twedberg | 4–11, 6–11 | Runner-up |
Women's doubles :
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1967 | Singapore Open | Hiroe Amano | Minarni Retno Kustijah | 6–15, 13–18 | Runner-up |
| 1967 | Denmark Open | Hiroe Amano | Imre Rietveld Ulla Strand | 15–12, 9–15, 15–8 | Winner |
| 1968 | All England Open | Hiroe Amano | Minarni Retno Kustijah | 5–15, 6–15 | Runner-up |
| 1968 | Singapore Open | Hiroe Yuki | Rosalind Singha Ang Eva Twedberg | 15–6, 15–11 | Winner |
| 1968 | Denmark Open | Hiroe Amano | Karin Jørgensen Ulla Strand | 15–11, 15–11 | Winner |
| 1969 | Denmark Open | Hiroe Yuki | Hiroe Amano Tomoko Takahashi | 15–9, 15–9 | Winner |
| 1970 | Denmark Open | Hiroe Amano | Etsuko Takenaka Machiko Aizawa | 17–15, 12–15, 9–15 | Runner-up |
| 1971 | All England Open | Hiroe Yuki | Gillian Gilks Judy Hashman | 15–10, 18–13 | Winner |
| 1971 | U. S. Open | Hiroe Yuki | Ethel Marshall Dorothy O'Neil | 15–8, 15–2 | Winner |
| 1971 | Canadian Open | Hiroe Yuki | Etsuko Takenaka Machiko Aizawa | Walkover | Winner |
| 1971 | Denmark Open | Hiroe Yuki | Etsuko Takenaka Machiko Aizawa | 15–10, 15–3 | Winner |
| 1972 | Denmark Open | Hiroe Yuki | Etsuko Takenaka Machiko Aizawa | 15–11, 11–15, 17–15 | Winner |
Mixed doubles :
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1968 | Singapore Open | Svend Andersen | Sangob Rattanusorn Pachara Pattabongse | 15–8, 15–11 | Winner |