Rui Takahashi is a Japanese professional volleyball player, an outside hitter for the Suntory Sunbirds Osaka. Rui was born on January 14th, 2000 in Kyoto, Japan, where he has spent the majority of his career with No. 21 off the spotlight from his younger sibling, Japan star Ran Takahashi.
Rui, at the age of 26, is still in the Sunbirds roster and is recognised especially for his serving game. According to his official team profile, he stands 185 cm tall, weighs 82 kg and has a max reach of 330 cm.
Who Is Rui Takahashi?
Rui Takahashi began playing volleyball at the age of 16 when she was influenced by the Japanese women’s national team player, Megumi Kurihara. His younger brother, Ran, followed in his footsteps into the sport. The brothers played together all through school, until they went to college separately.
Rui continued his studies at Higashiyama High School before transferring to Nihon University where he was a regular player and later became team captain. During his time in university, he won third place in 2020 All-Japan Intercollegiate Volleyball Championship.
Rui Takahashi Profile
| Category | Details |
| Full name | Rui Takahashi (髙橋 塁) |
| Birth date | January 14, 2000 |
| Birthplace | Kyoto, Japan |
| Position | Outside hitter |
| Height | 185 cm |
| Jersey number | 21 |
| Current club | Suntory Sunbirds Osaka |
| Previous school | Higashiyama High School, Nihon University |
| Club joined | Suntory Sunbirds in 2022 |
The official Suntory Sunbirds profile confirms that Rui joined the club in the 2022 season.
Rui Takahashi’s Suntory Sunbirds Career
In 2022, Rui joined the Suntory Sunbirds setup and has stayed with the club ever since it moved to Japan’s SV.LEAGUE era.
He doesn’t play the role of a lead scorer. Rui has been a frequent pinch hitter, and has been a role player in key rotations.
A reliable pinch server is among J SPORTS’ individual goals and he notes his serve as a big reason for his play.
The Sunbirds have also emphasized his role during pivotal moments. During a 2024-25 SV.The bowler, Rui, came on as a relief bowler in the fourth set of the LEAGUE match against VC Nagano and made excellent serves which assisted to score.
Rui Takahashi Stats: 2025-26 Season
The latest Volleyball World SV-Men 2025-26 player database lists Rui as an outside hitter for the Suntory Sunbirds.
His recorded competition statistics include:
- 12 total points
- 1 attack point
- 0 block points
- 11 serve points
- 0.26 points per match
- 7.48% serve success rate
All of these should be taken with a grain of salt, as RUI is not a team’s lead attack scorer, but also has limited appearances and is a specialist for the team.
This is significant when analyzing Rui Takahashi statistics. Unfortunately, a bad scoring average does not necessarily reflect the worth of a player who has been forced to be used in particular rotations or situations.
Rui Takahashi and Ran Takahashi: The Volleyball Brothers
The brothers have different roles, and there are discussions about Rui’s career along with Ran Takahashi’.
Ran has become an international player, playing for Japan, spending time in Italy and then joining the Suntory Sunbirds in 2024. The transfer brought the brothers together again as teammates, for the first time since they were in high school.
Rui has instead taken up a more specialized position in the Sunbirds. Suntory spoke of his battle to receive playing time with outside hitter Kenshin Kuwada in a club interview in 2025, and explained that Rui felt he was doing the right thing to contribute in some way when he didn’t get playing time.
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Where to Follow Rui Takahashi
Rui is also active outside traditional match coverage. He and Ran operate the “RanRui” YouTube channel, where the brothers share volleyball-related content and aspects of their lives away from matches.
For direct updates, fans can follow Rui Takahashi’s official X account.
The Suntory Sunbirds official website is also the most reliable source for team news, match information and roster updates.
FAQs
Who is Rui Takahashi?
Rui Takahashi is a Japanese volleyball player who plays outside hitter for the Suntory Sunbirds Osaka and wears No. 21.
Is Rui Takahashi Ran Takahashi’s brother?
Yes. Rui is the older brother of Japanese volleyball star Ran Takahashi. The brothers played together at Higashiyama High School and later became Sunbirds teammates.
What position does Rui Takahashi play?
Rui primarily plays as an outside hitter. He is also used as a specialist server, particularly in pressure situations.
How many points did Rui Takahashi score in 2025-26?
Volleyball World’s 2025-26 SV-Men statistics list Rui with 12 total points, including 11 from serves and one attack point.
