Finally, on April 29 (Friday, holiday), Tokyo will compete in the first J-League match at the Japan National Stadium.
Before the renovation of the National Stadium, many official matches were held since the first year of joining the J-League. There were memorable super plays and impactful events. Since the long-awaited title was won, Tokyo has won all titles at the National Stadium, symbolizing the deep connection between Tokyo and the National Stadium.
Our National.
This is TOKYO.
Before taking a new step at National, let's look back at the footprints and memories left at National along with photos from that time.
2004 Rainy Derby. Kajiyama's piercing strike
【Match Information】
2004 J.League Division 1 2nd Stage Sec. 3
FC Tokyo 1-0 Verdy 1969
That swing was the hope of Tokyo.
When I think back to the early days of becoming a freelance writer, I can't help but feel the weight of my age as I reach my forties. In my twenties, I would always go out to eat with my seniors after the matches. It was a happy time filled with endless conversations about soccer and silly topics. (What I'm doing now hasn't changed). There was always one player whose name would come up.
And I have also heard such a story from the then coach Tetsu NAGASAWA.
"When I drink wine with Hiromi HARA, we often talk about him. I want to see a player like him succeed in Europe."
Surely, Tokyo supporters must have had experiences discussing the same player over drinks. The interesting aspects of the player Yohei KAJIYAMA were packed in such a way that it made you want to talk about him.
August 29, 2004. In the pouring rain at the Japan National Stadium, the stage was set for the Tokyo showdown (by the way, at that time, it was not officially referred to as the Tokyo Derby). The shot taken by number 23 was an incredibly vivid strike.
In the 43rd minute of the second half, with the score tied at 0-0, substitute Kajiyama received the ball outside the area. He must have remembered Coach Hara's words, "It's about time you score in the league." As he shifted the ball to the right and found an opening, he struck it with his right foot without hesitation, sending it into the top left corner of the goal like a dart. The sharpness of the shot left the opposing goalkeeper frozen in place. For Kajiyama, this was a delightful first goal in the J1 League.
A super goal of the year. No, no, he also scored a stunning long-range shot in the Nabisco Cup match against Kashima Antlers (April 29) and against the strong Spanish team Deportivo (August 1). There’s no reason not to be excited about the emergence of such a rookie.
Masakazu Takahashi, the reporter in charge of FC Tokyo at Tokyo Chunichi Sports at the time, who had many conversations about such topics, described his impression when he first saw Kajiwara.
"For some reason, time seemed to flow slowly there. It looked like it was stopped, yet somehow he slipped through with a smooth dribble. I remember often talking about how I wanted Hara to become a player like (Juan Carlos) Valerón, as he had a similar atmosphere and physique."
Words like "null" and "pervert," which are not typically used to describe a soccer player, were often used to refer to him. That too was part of his unique personality. Kajiyama, who carried someone else's dream, suffered from many injuries and hung up his boots in 2018.
I’m sure neither we back then nor he himself thought he would walk the career he desired. But there is no player who can talk endlessly like him. With this few words, there’s still so much more to say. Sorry, could I get a refill on the draft beer, please?
Text by Kohei Baba (Freelance Writer)
