is a Japanese professional football club based in Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture, part of the Greater Tokyo Area. The club currently plays in the J1 League, which is the top tier league in the country. Their home stadium is Sankyo Frontier Kashiwa Stadium, also known as "Hitachidai". Reysol is a portmanteau of the Spanish words Rey and Sol, meaning "Sun King". The name alludes to their parent company Hitachi, whose name means "rising sun" in Japanese.
The club was formed in 1940 and was a founding member ("Original Eight") of the Japan Soccer League (JSL) in 1965. Since the league's inception, they have spent the majority of their existence in the top tier of Japanese football. They have managed to win 1 J1 League title, 2 J2 League title, 3 Emperor's Cups, 2 J.League Cup and 1 Japanese Super Cup. The club also won the J.League Cup / Copa Sudamericana Championship in 2014. Internationally, Kashiwa has made an appearance in the FIFA Club World Cup with their only appearance coming in the 2011 edition.
History
Hitachi SC (1939–1992)
The club started in 1939 and was officially formed as the company team, Hitachi, Ltd. Soccer Club in 1940 in Kodaira, Tokyo. The club formed the Japan Soccer League (JSL) in 1965, along with today's Urawa Reds, JEF United Chiba, Cerezo Osaka, Sanfrecce Hiroshima and three other clubs ("Original Eight"). They made it back to the top flight in 1989–90, but dropped back in 1990–91 and returned again in 1991–92.
However, their next manager, Englishman Steve Perryman, unsettled the team and the club struggled over the next several seasons. After finishing at the 16th place out of 18 clubs in 2005, the club lost the J.League promotion / relegation series against Ventforet Kofu, the 3rd placed team in the J2 League that year, and was relegated to the J2 League.
A new manager, Nobuhiro Ishizaki, led an almost entirely new squad in 2006 and the club secured automatic promotion to the J1 League in the last game of the season.thumb|right|261px|Reysol supporters at the A[[Sankyo Frontier Kashiwa Stadium]]
Rise to prominence after relegation (2009–2014)
Kashiwa Reysol was relegated again at the end of the 2009 season after sitting in the relegation zone thus playing in the J2 League. However, in the 2010 season, Kashiwa Reysol won the J2 League led by Brazilian manager Nelsinho Baptista returned to the top flight after staying one season in the second division. Kashiwa Reysol then shockingly went on to win the J1 League on their first season back in the J1 League in the 2011 season with a squad stacked with talented footballers such as Hiroki Sakai, Junya Tanaka, Jorge Wagner and Leandro Domingues, and became the first Japanese club to win the second tier and the top tier back to back. Kashiwa Reysol then qualified for the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup as the host nation's league champion where they went on to defeat 2010–11 OFC Champions League winner Auckland City and 2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League winner Monterrey before eventually losing to the 2011 Copa Libertadores winner Santos in the semi-final. The club then played their last match for third place against 2011 AFC Champions League winner Al Sadd but lost 5–3 on penalties.
AFC Champions League debut
In 2012, Kashiwa make their debut in the AFC Champions League where they were drawn in Group H alongside Thailand club Buriram United, Korean club Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Chinese club Guangzhou Evergrande. Kashiwa went on to finished with 10 points alongside Guangzhou Evergrande but advanced to the round of 16 as runners-up due to their head to head record. In the round of 16, Kashiwa faced another Korean club Ulsan Hyundai but eventually lost 3–2 thus going out from the competition. However, Kashiwa continued their strong form in 2012 by winning the Emperor's Cup, defeating Gamba Osaka in the final with Hirofumi Watanabe scoring the only goal in the match to seal the victory for Kashiwa Reysol where the victory also qualified the club for the 2013 AFC Champions League. Kashiwa also went on to win the 2012 Japanese Super Cup.
In 2013, Kashiwa had a good run in the AFC Champions League where they were drawn in Group H alongside Chinese club Guizhou Renhe, Australian club Central Coast Mariners and Korean club Suwon Samsung Bluewings. The club went on to top the group with 14 points thus advancing to the round of 16 where they would face another Korean club Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors where Kashiwa went on to win 5–2 on aggregate to advance to the quarter-finals against Saudi Arabian club Al Shabab. However, both leg resulted in a 3–3 draw on aggregate but fortunately sees Kashiwa advance to the semi-finals due to the away goals rule. In the semi-finals, Kashiwa faced Guangzhou Evergrande but the club was thrashed 8–1 on aggregate thus knocking out from the tournament. Kashiwa then went on to win the season by winning the 2013 J.League Cup. Kashiwa then went on the win the Suruga Bank Championship in 2014.
Relegation and return to the top flight (2018–2021)
In 2018, Kashiwa long stay in the top division came to an end when the club finished in the relegation zone in the 2018 season, resulting in relegation to the J2 League for the first time since 2010. Kashiwa responded strongly to relegation the following season. Under Brazilian manager Nelsinho Baptista, who returned to helms the club guided them to dominated the J2 League in the 2019 season. Kashiwa then won the league title and secured immediate promotion back to the J1 League.
The 2020 season marked the club’s return to the top flight, where they finished in the upper half of the table, demonstrating a successful rebuilding process. The team’s attacking style and reliance on young players helped establish stability following their promotion.
By the 2025 season, Kashiwa had re-emerged as one of the strongest sides in the league. Throughout the season, the club mounted a serious challenge for the league title and remained near the top of the standings for much of the campaign. The league titles race ultimately went down to the final matchday, with Kashiwa competing closely with Kashima Antlers. Although Kashiwa finished as runners-up after a narrow points difference, the season represented the club’s strongest league performance since their historic title victory in 2011 and signaled a return to the continental tournament where the club qualified to the 2026–27 AFC Champions League Elite.
Team image
Anthem
Kashiwa Reysol's anthem is We Are Reysol<nowiki/>', which is sung by anime singer Hironobu Kageyama. The song released in 1994, the same year Reysol got promoted to J1.
Rivalries
Marunouchi Gosanke
Historically, Kashiwa Reysol's fiercest rivals have been JEF United Chiba and the Urawa Reds, both close neighbors. The three were co-founders of the Japan Soccer League (JSL) in 1965, and spent most seasons in the top tier through the JSL era. Because of their former parent companies' headquarters all being based in Marunouchi, Tokyo, the three clubs were known as the Marunouchi Gosanke (丸の内御三家, "Marunouchi Big Three") and fixtures among them were known as the Marunouchi derbies.
Chiba derby
Reysol and JEF United Chiba first met in 1941 in the ancient Kanto regional football league. The two clubs are both now based in Chiba Prefecture, and their rivalry is known as the Chiba derby. They play a pre-season friendly match every year, popularly known as the Chibagin Cup (i.e., Chiba Bank Cup) since 1995.
Others
Reysol also has a rivalry with Kashima Antlers (commonly called Tonegawa clásico), FC Tokyo (commonly called Kanamachi derby) and Omiya Ardija (commonly called Nodasen derby).
Stadium
thumb|286x286px|Sankyo Frontier Kashiwa Stadium
Sankyo Frontier Kashiwa Stadium is the home ground of Kashiwa Reysol. Located in the city of Kashiwa, the stadium has served as the club’s primary venue since its opening in 1985. The stadium has a seating capacity of approximately 15,000 spectators and is known for its compact design, which places fans close to the pitch and creates an intense atmosphere during matches.
Originally opened as Hitachi Kashiwa Soccer Stadium, the venue was historically associated with the club’s parent company Hitachi, which founded the team. Over the years, the stadium underwent several renovations to modernize its facilities and meet professional football standards. In 2018, the stadium’s naming rights were acquired by Sankyo Frontier, leading to its current name.
The stadium is widely regarded as one of the most atmospheric venues in the J1 League due to its steep stands and proximity to the field. It has hosted numerous domestic league matches, cup fixtures, and continental games in the AFC Champions League.
Kit suppliers and shirt sponsors
Sponsors
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! style="background:#FFF000; color:black; text-align:center;" |Year
! style="background:#FFF000; color:black; text-align:center;" |Kit manufacturer
! style="background:#FFF000; color:black; text-align:center;" |Main sponsor
|-
|1987–1993
| Adidas
| rowspan="4" | Hitachi
|-
|1994–1996
| Mizuno
|-
|1997–2010
| Umbro
|-
|2011–present
| Yonex
|}
Colours
Kashiwa Reysol's main colour is yellow, like sunshine that is based on the club's name "Sun King". The uniform is yellow-black (called Aurinegro in Spanish) reminiscent of Peñarol or Borussia Dortmund. Reysol is the only top division club in the country to wear yellow-black.
Kit evolution
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed" style="width:65%; border:double #231815; box-shadow: 4px 4px 4px #FFF100;"
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! colspan="5" |Away Kit - 2nd
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Players
First-team squad
<!----------------------------- READ THIS NOTICE FIRST BEFORE EDITING ----------------------------------
– Do NOT add new players before their signing is officially announced by the club through their website, including medical and signing the contract. A transfer fee agreed doesn't mean the player will sign.
– Do NOT remove players before their exit is officially announced by the club.
– Do NOT add or change squad numbers until it is official on the Kashiwa Reysol website
– Only add numberless players that are likely to become part of the first team
– Pre-season numbers can be added temporarily with A REFERENCE
– This is Wikipedia, not a football newspaper. Anything unconfirmed and unsourced will be removed on sight
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------>
Out on loan
Kashiwa Reysol U-18
Below are list of U-18 team players belong to Kashiwa Reysol academy that competing in 2026 Prince Takamado U-18 Premier League, the top-flight league for U-18 team of football clubs and senior high school football teams in the country. Only registered players for the competition will be displayed.
Management and staff
As of 2026.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! style="background:#FFF000; color:black; text-align:center;" |Position
! style="background:#FFF000; color:black; text-align:center;" |Name
|-
|Manager || Ricardo Rodríguez
|-
| rowspan="3" |Assistant manager|| Ryoichi Kurisawa
|-
| Hidekazu Otani
|-
| Yuta Someya
|-
|Coaches & Physical coach || Naoya Matsubara
|-
|Goalkeeping coach || Keita Inoue
|-
|Technical || Yasushi Okamura
|-
|Doctor || Kojiro Hyodo
|-
|Medical || Kaoru Arakawa <br> Hiroyuki Akai <br> Toshiya Itagaki <br> Hisao Iwaki <br> Fabiano
|-
|Interpreter || Isao Yakita <br> Masayoshi Edson Hayakawa <br> Michinori Katsuta
|-
|Scout and support coach || Lee Chang-won
|-
|Equipment || Masafumi Kimura
|-
|Competent || Takumi Miyamoto
|}
Honours
As both Hitachi SC (1939–1992) and Kashiwa Reysol (1993–present)
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! style="background:#FFF000; color:black; text-align:center;" |Type
! style="background:#FFF000; color:black; text-align:center;" |Honours
! style="background:#FFF000; color:black; text-align:center;" |Titles
! style="background:#FFF000; color:black; text-align:center;" |Season
|-
| rowspan="6" |League
|J1 League
|1
|2011
|-
|J2 League
|2
|2010, 2019
|-
|Japan Soccer League Division 1
|1
|1972
|-
|Japan Soccer League Division 2
|1
|1990–91
|-
|All Japan Works Football Championship
|2
|1958, 1960
|-
|All Japan Inter-City Football Championship
|1
|1963
|-
| rowspan="4" |Cup
|Emperor's Cup
|3
|1972, 1975, 2012
|-
|J.League Cup
|2
|1999, 2013
|-
|Japanese Super Cup
|1
|2012
|-
|JSL Cup
|1
|1976
|-
|Regional
|J.League Cup / Copa Sudamericana Championship
|1
|2014
|}
Records and statistics
As of 25 March 2026.
{| class="wikitable"
|+Top 10 all-time appearances
! style="background:#FFF000; color:black; text-align:center;" |Rank
! style="background:#FFF000; color:black; text-align:center;" |Player
! style="background:#FFF000; color:black; text-align:center;" |Years
! style="background:#FFF000; color:black; text-align:center;" |Club appearane
|-
|1
| Hidekazu Otani
|2003–2022
|610
|-
|2
| Takeshi Watanabe
|1995–2004
|341
|-
|3
| Yuta Minami
|1998–2009
|334
|-
|4
| Naoya Kondo
|2002–2015
|326
|-
|5
| Takanori Sugeno
|2008–2015
|324
|-
|6
| Taiyo Koga
|2017–present
|314
|-
|7
| Nozomu Kato
|1992–2004
|308
|-
|8
| Tomokazu Myojin
|1996–2005
|301
|-
|9
| Ryoichi Kurisawa
|2008–2018
|297
|-
|10
| Hideaki Kitajima
|1997–2002,
2006–2012
|272
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|+Top 10 all-time goalscorer
! style="background:#FFF000; color:black; text-align:center;" |Rank
! style="background:#FFF000; color:black; text-align:center;" |Player
! style="background:#FFF000; color:black; text-align:center;" |Club appearane
! style="background:#FFF000; color:black; text-align:center;" |Total goals
|-
|1
| Cristiano
|250
|94
|-
|2
| Masato Kudo
|262
|92
|-
|3
| Hideaki Kitajima
|272
|71
|-
|4
| Edílson
|92
|65
|-
|5
| Leandro Domingues
|141
|63
|-
|6
| Junya Tanaka
|214
|62
|-
|7
| Michael Olunga
|78
|61
|-
|8
| Nozomu Kato
|308
|59
|-
|9
| Mao Hosoya
|208
|52
|-
|10
| Ataru Esaka
|144
|38
|}
- Biggest wins: 13–1 vs Kyoto Sanga (24 November 2019)
- Heaviest defeats:
- 0–7 vs Urawa Red Diamonds (4 April 1971)
- 0–7 vs Urawa Red Diamonds (21 September 1996)
- 0–7 vs Urawa Red Diamonds (15 October 2005)
- Youngest goal scorers: Mao Hosoya ~ 17 years 9 months 26 days old (On 3 July 2019 vs Iwate Grulla Morioka)
- Oldest goal scorers: Hidekazu Otani ~ 36 years 5 months 5 days old (On 11 April 2021 vs Gamba Osaka)
- Youngest ever debutant: Minoru Suganuma ~ 17 years 5 months 10 days old (On 26 October 2002 vs Vissel Kobe)
- Oldest ever player: Hidekazu Otani ~ 37 years 11 months 30 days old (On 5 November 2022 vs Shonan Bellmare)
Award winners
As of the end of the 2025 season.
- J.League Player of the Year:
:* Leandro Domingues (2011)
:* Michael Olunga (2020)
- J.League Top Scorer:
:* Michael Olunga (2020)
- J.League Best XI:
- Hong Myung-bo (1999, 2000)
- Tomokazu Myojin (2000)
- Naoya Kondo (2011)
- Hiroki Sakai (2011)
- Jorge Wagner (2011)
- Leandro Domingues (2011, 2012)
- Kosuke Nakamura (2017)
- Michael Olunga (2020)
- Matheus Sávio (2024)
- Yoshio Koizumi (2025)
- Taiyo Koga (2025)
- J.League Best Young Player:
:* Hiroki Sakai (2011)
:* Yūta Nakayama (2017)
:* Mao Hosoya (2022)
- Individual Fair Play Award:
- Yuta Minami (2001)
- Masato Kudo (2014)
- J.League Manager of the Year:
:* Nicanor (1997)
:* Akira Nishino (2000)
:* Nelsinho Baptista (2011)
:* Ricardo Rodríguez (2025)
Club captains
{| class="wikitable"
! style="background:#FFF000; color:black; text-align:center;" |Captain
! style="background:#FFF000; color:black; text-align:center;" |Period
|-
| Takahiro Shimotaira || ????–1998
|-
| Hong Myung-bo || 1999
|-
| Tomokazu Myojin || 2000–2005
|-
| Yuta Minami || 2006–2007
|-
| Hidekazu Otani || 2008–2022
|-
| Taiyo Koga||2023–present
|}
Managerial history
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! style="background:#FFF000; color:black; text-align:center;" |Manager
! style="background:#FFF000; color:black; text-align:center;" |Period
! style="background:#FFF000; color:black; text-align:center;" |Honours
|-
| Tokue Suzuki ||1 February 1965–31 January 1966
|
|-
| Masayoshi Miyazaki ||1 February 1966–31 January 1967
|
|-
| Kotaro Hattori ||1 February 1967–31 January 1970
|
|-
| Hidetoki Takahashi||1 February 1970–31 January 1977
|– 1972 Japan Soccer League
– 1972 Emperor's Cup
– 1975 Emperor's Cup
– 1976 JSL Cup
|-
| Takato Ebisu ||1 February 1977–31 January 1979
|
|-
| Mutsuhiko Nomura||1 February 1979–31 January 1982
|– 1990–91 Japan Soccer League
|-
| Yoshiki Nakamura ||1 February 1982–31 January 1985
|
|-
| Yoshikazu Nagaoka ||1 February 1985–30 June 1989
|
|-
| Hiroyuki Usui||1 July 1989–31 January 1993
|
|-
| Zé Sérgio||1 February 1993–10 August 1995
|
|-
| Antoninho||10 August 1995–31 January 1996
|
|-
| Nicanor||1 February 1996–31 January 1998
|
|-
| Akira Nishino||1 February 1998–30 July 2001
|
|-
| Steve Perryman||1 August 2001–8 August 2002
|
|-
| Tomoyoshi Ikeya (caretaker) ||9 August 2002–30 August 2002
|
|-
| Marco Aurelio||31 August 2002–31 January 2004
|
|-
| Tomoyoshi Ikeya (caretaker) (2) ||1 February 2004–31 July 2004
|
|-
| Hiroshi Hayano||1 August 2004–31 January 2006
|
|-
| Nobuhiro Ishizaki||1 February 2006–31 January 2009
|
|-
| Shinichiro Takahashi||1 February 2009–14 July 2009
|
|-
| Masami Ihara (caretaker) ||15 July 2009–30 July 2009
|
|-
| Nelsinho Baptista||1 August 2009–31 January 2015
|– 2011 J1 League
– 2012 Japanese Super Cup
– 2013 J.League Cup
– 2014 J.League Cup / Copa Sudamericana Championship
|-
| Tatsuma Yoshida||1 February 2015–31 January 2016
|
|-
| Milton Mendes||1 February 2016–12 March 2016
|
|-
| Takahiro Shimotaira||12 March 2016–13 May 2018
|
|-
| Nozomu Katō||14 May 2018–10 November 2018
|
|-
| Ken Iwase||10 November 2018–31 January 2019
|
|-
| Nelsinho Baptista (2) ||1 February 2019–17 May 2023
|– 2019 J2 League
|-
| Masami Ihara||17 May 2023–4 December 2024
|
|-
| Ricardo Rodríguez||11 December 2024–present