TOKYO:
Japan’s national high school football tournament, a century-old tradition, continues to captivate the nation, drawing massive crowds and millions of TV viewers. Despite the increasing lure of professional clubs seeking young talent, the tournament remains a key platform for emerging stars.
Kicking off on Saturday, the event is still considered the pinnacle of amateur football in Japan, with young players dreaming of a final appearance at Tokyo’s National Stadium, a venue filled with tens of thousands of cheering fans. The atmosphere is electric, with entire schools rallying behind their teams, waving flags, banging drums, and creating a vibrant display of color and energy.
“All teams have similar technical skills, so it’s about who wants it more,” said Junpei Fukuda, leader of Ryutsukeizai University Kashiwa High School’s cheering squad. “We want our voices to be the loudest.”
While Europe has long seen top young players join professional club academies, Japan’s high school football still attracts elite talent. Many of the country’s current football stars, such as Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate of Celtic, and Daichi Kamada of Crystal Palace, honed their skills in the high school tournament.
However, a shift is occurring. Increasingly, young players are skipping high school football to join youth teams at top J. League clubs. This has affected the tournament’s overall quality, but the event still holds a special place in the hearts of many.
Kanaru Matsumoto, a 17-year-old midfielder from Ryutsukeizai Kashiwa, who will turn professional with J. League’s Shonan Bellmare, said the tournament remains his ultimate goal. “I came to this school with the dream of playing in the national high school tournament,” he shared, highlighting the event’s lasting significance in Japanese football culture.
NEWS DESK
PRESS UPDATE