The 2026 World Shoe Shining Championships once again brought together some of the finest shoe care specialists on the planet, with finalists from Japan, France and Finland earning the right to compete at the prestigious London Super Trunk Show.

From the Saphir Facebook page: “Congratulations to Atsuhiro Yoshidomi (@boston_yoshidomi) of @boston_reolds for winning the world championships of shoe shining 2026 in London. The silver medal was won by Naoki Ueda of @boys_penny and the bronze medal went to Benjamin Valeyre (@frenchshoeshine).

They added: “An amazing result was achieved by all of them. The contestants had 20 minutes time to polish a single shoe with our products and were given a free choice of the type and color of polish. Atsuhiro Yoshidomi used our Mirror Gloss in a darker color to create an antique almost patina-like effect with his polishing.”

Youtube has a whole host of shoeshine videos and how to’s as well as some decent shiners. Shoeshining has also become a bit like the massage business, a time for people to relax while having their shoes cleaned and shined…

The Japanese have dominated the event since it first appeared – and the event has grown over that time.

Hosted in London since 2017, the championships have become a showcase for precision, patience and artistry. Competitors are given just 20 minutes to transform a leather shoe (makes such as Bridlen) into a mirror-like masterpiece using traditional polishing techniques, waxes and cloths. Judges assess not only the gloss of the finish, but also depth of shine, colour balance, technique and overall presentation.

SnookerZone’s Chris Gaynor entered this year’s qualification round but did not get to the main finals day at the event in London. He polished a pair of Loake shoes and was very happy with the result. It was good to be able to enter and will certainly try again next year for the competition.

This year’s finalists included Japan’s Atsuhiro Yoshidomi, (previous finalists) and Naoki Hayashida, alongside some of the leading names in shoe patina artistry from Europe. The finals took place during the London Super Trunk Show — one of the biggest luxury footwear events in the world.

Past champions of the event highlight Asia’s dominance in the craft, with previous winners including Yuya Hasegawa, Yuta Sugimura, Naoki Hayashida, John Chung, Ash Samsudin and Nishigami Yoshihiro.

Far from being just a quick polish, competitive shoe shining is regarded by many enthusiasts as an art form — blending restoration, craftsmanship and presentation into one highly skilled discipline. In an era of fast fashion, the championships celebrate something increasingly rare: pride in maintenance, detail and timeless style.

You don’t have to be a shoeshine expert to take pride in your shoes. But it’s something that creates discipline, attention to detail, and patience and pride. It’s an enjoyable experience to sit there for 20 mins and shine your shoes and make them look respectable for wearing outside.

For more on the championships and finalists, see The Shoe Snob and Shoegazing.