J-Football Journals Round-Up #15
- Adam Błoszko
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
And we are fully back! In Japan, fully settled in. However, we are at the end - J-League is ending at the brink of winter, and we've finally recognised this season's cup winners!
I have had a lot of time off due to moving in and a lack of time to write or research - but we're back for good now.
I will look to do more pieces on football in the North of Japan as that is where I currently reside - there will be more opportunity for real-life experience rather than just static storytelling from the other side of the world.
Look out for more stories from the colder side of Japan!
Tochigi City's Jubilant Step-Up - Winners across Japan
J3 saw Tochigi City dominate the league and claim the outright promotion. With only seven losses in 2025, their 3-0 hammering of Nara Club ensured they march on. Nigerian talisman Peter Utaka bagged a brace.
Mito Hollyhock and V-Varen Nagasaki are our two J1 newcomers for the 2026 season! - with Mito snatching the league on a tight goal difference fight - both teams sitting on 70 points, but separated by just THREE goals.
JFL's J-League elects are named as Hamamatsu-based Honda (title winners) and Hikone boys Reilac Shiga - but it remains to be seen if they will enter the top leagues of Japan.
Machida Zelvia Grab their First Top-Flight Trophy!
Zelvia's rise to the top of Japanese Football is nothing short of spectactular - but this win? A cake-topper.
FC Machida came to be 36 years ago - a school which was famous for producing cream-of-the-crop footballers, decided to form into a fully fledged side in order to keep their ever so precious talents.
Fast forward all these years and they have just edged a win over Vissel Kobe 3-1 - a feat that saw them seal the title of a road-to-glory side.
Goals from the prolific Fujio and Soma meant that Vissel could not find their feet at the Japan National Stadium.
The Tokyo side has produced fantastic players such as Henry Mochizuki - with youth production a cornerstone of their history since their rise from the Kanto Soccer Leagues.
Japanese Football; The Unexplored North (pt.1)
A lot of fans overlook Northern teams in favor of the glamorous sides of Tokyo, Kyoto and even Nagoya.
The Northern Japanese land is a vast but beautiful scenery. There are football sides and undiscovered talents scattered across the region.
Let's take a look at Montedio Yamagata! A team based in the region, but often drifted from area to area of the entire place. Once even based in the more rural Tsuruoka, Montedio have several grounds they train on.
As a football club with a strong community, there are fan clubs and passionate people representing the name Montedio.
"Monte" meaning mountain - and "Dio" - God. The God of the Mountains, fitting for the North.
Once even in the J1, Montedio are an ever-present name in the North to many Japanee football fans as well as businesses and sales promotions.
Lately I have passed by many cars with Montedio stickers or businesses using the name to promote a service - it's a very fan oriented culture here in Japan.
A Matchday Experience - Albirex Niigata
My very first experience of Japanese football in the North of the land!
A beautiful park led me to the Denka Big Swan Stadium in the heart of Niigata's green. Albirex fans were in full force, but I could not help but notice the constant presence of bright yellow Kashiwa Reysol colors even in the streets.
There was no time wasted as the Reysol fans seemed to roar even an hour before the match - even louder than the home fans of the already-relegated Albirex.
A free packet of crisps at the gate, a very friendly local feel, a hulking stadium full of orange-clad supporters introduced me to my very first Albirex Niigata match.
An uphill battle begun for Albirex as Kashiwa Reysol brought out their best fluid football into the fray from the get-go. Although the possession counts weren't too brutal (ALB 44%, REY 56%) the xG counts told the story of a fierce visiting side.
Kashiwa Reysol were able to amass a 1.76 xG in the fleeting cold of Northern Japan. Albirex only managed a disappointing 0.20 - with Kasai's sole goal coming from a momentary resurgence which rewarded the home fans for staying around.
Yoshio Koizumi was ever present as Reysol were able to display their scintilliating energy in the frosty cold air of a coastal Japense city.
Hosoya benefitted from the chaos Koizumi, Nakagawa and Konishi were able to create with an ever-changing formation in the middle of Reysol's complex 3-4-2-1. The striker neatly put away three goals from short range backing his ability as a fox in the box.
Albirex disrupted where they could and initiated a high line when Kashiwa lost the ball, with ball-playing defenders attempting very ambitious balls in behind the defence - but it was easily snuffed out by the flashy Taiyo Koga and co.
Hayato Inamura's absence is clearly felt amidst the Albirex defence, even with a rather mobile Fitzgerald who put five passes into the final third - but struggled to complete most of them; only two out of seven proving successful.
Young Keisuke Kasai was able to pull a long-range goal back upon his substitution and bring a little bit of hope to the home side - with such a performance, maybe the 23-year-old warranted a start during this match.
But it was Mao Hosoya's game. His hattrick ensured Kashiwa marched on to attempt a J1 Title Win next week - only if Kashima Antlers stutter before the finish line.
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