An estimated 5,000 high school students play, while roughly 10,000 players participate at the university level.
Paul Rusch, an American missionary who first arrived in the country in 1925.
Sapporo 5 7 Kyoto Sanga 6 7 Jubilo Iwata 5 6 Avispa Fukuoka 5 4 Gamba Osaka 5 4 Shimizu S-Pu.
As of 2021, the most expensive ticket costs just ¥2,000.
Import players are not paid by the team but are often given jobs with a sponsor company, for which they receive a salary.
Next up for the Frontiers is the Asahi Beer Silver Star, a 20-8 winner against the Dentsu Club Caterpillars in the opening game of the season.