Interviews and Columns

Interviews and articles documenting the history of rugby in Kamaishi, from the golden era of the Nippon Steel Kamaishi team, to the present.

Interview

Jiro Ishiyama / Born in 1957. After graduating from Noshiro Industrial High School in Akita Prefecture, he began work at the Nippon Steel Kamaishi Steelworks and joined the company rugby club. His playing position was prop. Ishiyama was a fixed, regular member of the team from 1979 – 1985, when they won the All-Japan Rugby Football Championship for seven years in a row. He also made 19 caps as a member of the Japanese National Rugby Team. He retired from rugby in 1988 and is now a representative of NPO Scrum Kamaishi, a non-profit organisation established by former rugby team mates and friends in the wake of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. Ishiyama works for the Taisei Corporation Tohoku Bureau and is currently (as of March 2018) involved in the construction of the Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium (prov. name).

Yoshihiko Sakuraba / Born in 1966. Joined Nippon Steel Kamaishi after graduating from Akita Technical High School. Lock. Retired in 2006. Achieved 43 caps with the Japan national team. Appeared in three Rugby World Cups (1987, 1995 & 1999). Currently works as ambassador for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Yu Saeki / Born in 1985, Saeki joined the Kamaishi Seawaves RFC after graduating from Kanto Gakuin University. His playing position is flanker. He was team captain from 2011 until the 2013 season and is currently serving a dual position as a player and coach.

Column

Rugby Magazine, May 2015 edition Dai Heart Column, Match 125 “Happiness on Oyafuko Street” By Dai Fujishima