List of Japanese collegiate American football programs explained

This is a list of the schools in Japan that have varsity football teams and are overseen by the Japan American Football Association.^[1]

There are a total of eight leagues divided between East Japan (東日本) and West Japan (西日本). Each league has at least two tiers of program. The top or first tier is the only one that sends teams to the post season tournament. The remaining teams are in lower tiers that can not compete in the post season, but may play their way into the top tier via promotion and relegation.

East (東日本)

The leagues comprising the East are:

• Kantoh Collegiate American Football Association
• Hokkaido American Football Association
• Tohoku Collegiate American Football Association

Team	Nickname	City	Prefecture	League	First Played
Akita	Ogres	Akita	Akita	Tohoku
Chuo	Racoons	Hachiōji	Tokyo	Kantoh	1967^[2]
Hokkai Gakuen	Golden Bears	Sapporo	Hokkaido	Hokkaido
Hokkaido	Big Green	Sapporo	Hokkaido	Hokkaido	1974^[3]
Hokusei Gakuen	Pirates	Sapporo	Hokkaido	Hokkaido
Hosei	Tomahawks	Tokyo	Tokyo	Kantoh
Iwate	Bisons	Morioka	Iwate	Tohoku	1990^[4]
Keio	Unicorns	Minato	Tokyo	Kantoh	1935^[5]
Kokushikan	Rhinoceros	Setagaya	Tokyo	Kantoh (Big 8)
Meiji	Griffins	Setagaya	Tokyo	Kantoh	1934^[6]
Nihon	Phoenix	Chiyoda	Tokyo	Kantoh	1940^[7]
NSSU	Triumphant Lion	Setagaya	Tokyo	Kantoh	1956^[8]
Obihiro	Cowboys	Obihiro	Hokkaido	Hokkaido
Rikkyo	St. Paul's Rushers	Toshima	Tokyo	Kantoh	1934^[9]
Sapporo	Cubs	Sapporo	Hokkaido	Hokkaido
Sapporo Gakuin	Crimson Knights	Ebetsu	Hokkaido	Hokkaido	1978^[10]
Sendai	Silver Falcons	Sendai	Miyagi	Tohoku
Senshu	Green Machine	Chiyoda	Tokyo	Kantoh (Big 8)
Tohoku	Hornets	Sendai	Miyagi	Tohoku
Tohoku Gakuin	Kayaks	Sendai	Miyagi	Tohoku
Waseda	Big Bears	Shinjuku	Tokyo	Kantoh	1934^[11]

West (西日本)

The leagues comprising the West are:

• Chushikoku Collegiate American Football Association
• Hokuriku Collegiate American Football League
• Kansai Collegiate American Football League
• Kyūshū Collegiate American Football Association
• Tokai Collegiate American Football Association

Team	Nickname	City	Prefecture	League	First Played
Doshisha	Wild Rovers	Kyoto	Kyoto	Kansai
Ehime	Bombers	Matsuyama	Ehime	Chushikoku	1976^[12]
Fukuoka	Black Knights	Fukuoka	Fukuoka	Kyushu
Hiroshima	Racoons	Hiroshima	Hiroshima	Chushikoku	1977^[13]
Kansai	Kaisers	Suita	Osaka	Kansai
Kobe	Ravens	Kobe	Hyōgo	Kansai
Konan	Red Gang	Kobe	Hyōgo	Kansai
Kurume	Mean Fighters	Kurume	Fukuoka	Kyushu
Kwansei Gakuin	Fighters	Nishinomiya	Hyōgo	Kansai
Kyoto	Gangsters	Kyoto	Kyoto	Kansai
Kyushu	Palookas	Fukuoka	Fukuoka	Kyushu
Ritsumeikan	Panthers	Kyoto	Kyoto	Kansai	1953
Ryukoku	Seahorse	Kyoto	Kyoto	Kansai
Ryukyus	Stingrays	Nishihara	Okinawa	Kyushu
Seinan Gakuin	Green Dolphins	Fukuoka	Fukuoka	Kyushu	1973
Shimane	Warriors	Matsue	Shimane	Chushikoku	1982^[14]
UTEF	Lions	Munakata	Fukuoka	Kyushu
Yamaguchi	Gamblers	Yamaguchi	Yamaguchi	Chushikoku	1980^[15]
Kindai	Devils	Higashiōsaka	Osaka	Kansai
Kōchi	Marine Corps	Kōchi	Kōchi	Chushikoku	1977^[16]
Matsuyama	Blue Arrows	Matsuyama	Ehime	Chushikoku	1978^[17]
Momoyama Gakuin	Thundering Legion Lions	Izumi	Osaka	Kansai
Prefectural University of Hiroshima	Knights	Shōbara	Hiroshima	Chushikoku	1989^[18]

See also

• List of NCAA Division I FBS football programs
• List of NCAA Division I FCS football programs
• List of NCAA Division II football programs
• List of NCAA Division III football programs
• List of NAIA football programs
• List of community college football programs
• List of NCAA Institutions with club football teams
• List of defunct college football teams
• List of Mexican collegiate American football programs

Notes and References

1. Web site: 国内アメフト. NFL Japan. April 4, 2016.
2. Web site: The Racoons. Chuo Racoons football. April 4, 2016.
3. Web site: 1974年創部 BigGreenの歴史. 北海道大学アメリカンフットボール部. November 29, 2015.
4. Web site: Iwate Bisons football. Iwate Bisons football. April 4, 2016.
5. Web site: History of the Unicorns. Keio Unicorns football. April 4, 2016.
6. Web site: 伝統の技を駆使したスピードフットボール. Meiji Griffins football. April 4, 2016.
7. Web site: 日本大学保健体育審議会アメリカンフットボール部PHOENIX. Meiji Griffins football. April 4, 2016.
8. Web site: Team Info. NSSU football. April 4, 2016.
9. Web site: History of Rushers. St. Paul's Rushers football. April 4, 2016.
10. Web site: Team Profile. Sapporo Gakuin Crimson Knights football. April 4, 2016.
11. Web site: WEAREBIGBEARS. Waseda Big Bears football. April 4, 2016.
12. Web site: Chushikoku Leagues. Chushikoku Collegiate American Football Association. April 4, 2016.
13. Web site: Chushikoku Leagues. Chushikoku Collegiate American Football Association. April 4, 2016.
14. Web site: Chushikoku Leagues. Chushikoku Collegiate American Football Association. April 4, 2016.
15. Web site: Chushikoku Leagues. Chushikoku Collegiate American Football Association. April 4, 2016.
16. Web site: Chushikoku Leagues. Chushikoku Collegiate American Football Association. April 4, 2016.
17. Web site: Chushikoku Leagues. Chushikoku Collegiate American Football Association. April 4, 2016.
18. Web site: Chushikoku Leagues. Chushikoku Collegiate American Football Association. April 4, 2016.