A new episode of The Amazing Race aired tonight on CBS. Below is a live-style recap of the leg that took teams to Kyoto, Japan, where an Express Pass was up for grabs and a Roadblock and Detour tested both skill and perseverance.
For this leg, teams boarded Shinkansen bullet trains bound for Kyoto. Several teams reflected on their chances before departure: Jonathan & Ana felt confident about their strength as a team; Scott & Lori were relieved to start stronger than in the previous leg; Alyssa & Josiah were eager to explore Kyoto; Carson & Jack wanted the Express Pass to avoid being targeted; Courtney & Jasmin trusted their adaptability; and Pops & Jeff looked forward to riding the bullet train.
Teams left on staggered trains. Jonathan & Ana and Lori & Scott boarded the first Shinkansen, Alyssa & Josiah and Carson & Jack were on the second, Pops & Jeff on the third, Courtney & Jasmin and Melinda & Erika on the fourth, and Bernie & Carrigain, Brett & Mark, and Nick & Mike were on the fifth train.
The first clue directed teams to purchase Omikuji, traditional fortune-telling paper that reveals a message when dipped in water. The revealed location was Shiramine Jingu Shrine, where teams discovered a Roadblock: players had to perform kemari, an ancient ball-kicking game. Each racer needed to complete five clean passes within a circle to earn the next clue. A special twist: both partners had to complete the Roadblock in order for a team to claim the Express Pass.
Jonathan completed his turn quickly, but Ana struggled. Carson made steady progress while Jack also attempted the Roadblock because they were aiming for the Express Pass as well. Scott completed the task promptly, and Lori opted not to do it at that time. After a tense effort from Ana, she succeeded—securing the Express Pass for Jonathan & Ana.
With the Roadblock completed by several teams, the race moved on to a Detour: Fold It or Fling It. Fold It required teams to construct a giant origami crane, demanding patience and precise folding. Fling It tested accuracy with a display of ninja weapons, where teams aimed to hit a target. Scott & Lori initially chose Fling It but switched to Fold It when the throwing challenge proved difficult. Jonathan & Ana and Carson & Jack also tried Fling It before deciding whether to persist or switch.
Throughout the leg, teams shuffled positions as they tackled the tasks. Courtney & Jasmin lost time because they didn’t realize they needed to wet their Omikuji to reveal the shrine location. Some teams, including Alyssa & Josiah and Nick & Mike, struggled repeatedly at Fling It and ultimately switched to the origami option. Others—Brett & Mark, Melinda & Erika, and Pops & Jeff—made steady progress on Fold It.
Holden, who used to play soccer, completed his Roadblock quickly along with partner Han, allowing them to climb out of last place. Carrigain and other competitors eventually finished the Roadblock as well, and teams converged on the Fold It Detour as the origami challenge became the faster route for many.
Scott & Lori were the first to complete the Fold It Detour and arrived at the Pit Stop at Komyo-Ji Temple in first place. Carson & Jack followed seconds later to take second. Phil Keoghan revealed that Scott & Lori had won $5,000 and teased a twist for the next leg called the Driver’s Seat—a power that will let a team influence how much work other teams must do.
Jonathan & Ana finished third after completing the origami challenge, while Melinda & Erika, Brett & Mark, and Pops & Jeff filled the middle placings after steady progress at the crane task. Alyssa & Josiah eventually switched from Fling It to Fold It and recovered enough to reach the mat. In the final stretch, Nick & Mike and Han & Holden teamed up briefly to keep momentum, while Bernie & Carrigain and Courtney & Jasmin fought to finish the origami in time.
In the end, Courtney & Jasmin completed the Fold It Detour last and were eliminated at the Pit Stop. They left the race disappointed but grateful for the experience.
Episode Summary
1st place: Scott & Lori
2nd place: Carson & Jack
3rd place: Jonathan & Ana
4th place: Melinda & Erika
5th place: Brett & Mark
6th place: Pops & Jeff
7th place: Alyssa & Josiah
8th place: Nick & Mike
9th place: Han & Holden
10th place: Bernie & Carrigain
Eliminated: Courtney & Jasmin
That wraps up tonight’s leg in Kyoto. Jonathan & Ana’s Express Pass win and Scott & Lori’s first-place finish set the stage for the next episode, where the new Driver’s Seat twist could shift the balance of power in the race. Thanks for reading—check back for the next recap.