The Kantoh Collegiate American Football Association is an American college football league made up of colleges and universities in the Kanto region of Japan.
Overview The Kanto League is the main university football league in eastern Japan. The league is divided into six divisions.
Under the previous format, the league winners played against teams from western Japan in the Koshien Bowl.
In 2024, the new format allows the top three schools to compete in the Koshien Bowl Tournament.
Other participating schools in the tournament are the top three schools from the Kansai Collegiate American Football League Division 1, and the winners of each league from Tohoku, Hokuriku, and Chugoku-Shikoku.
Member schools Division 1 Prior to the 2014 season, the Kantoh league had two conferences. The winners of each conference would then play in the Azuma Bowl, to determine league champion. Starting in 2014, the league switched to a two division format, the Top 8 and Big 8. With the new format, there would be no championship game and the Top 8 conference would be the highest level of play, making the winner of that division the overall conference champion. Top 8 InstitutionLocationFoundedTypeNicknameTeam FoundedColorsHosei UniversityChiyoda, Tokyo1880PrivateOrange1935Blue and OrangeWaseda UniversityShinjuku, Tokyo1882PrivateBig Bears1934Maroon and WhiteKeio UniversityMinato, Tokyo1858PrivateUnicorns1935Red and BlueRikkyo UniversityToshima, Tokyo1874PrivateRushers1934Purple and WhiteUniversity of TokyoTokyo1877NationalWarriors1957BlueMeiji UniversityTokyo1881PrivateGriffins1934Gold, Navy, and YellowJ. F. Oberlin UniversityMachida, Tokyo1921PrivateThree Nails Crowns1968Maroon and GoldChuo UniversityHachiōji, Tokyo1885PrivateRacoons1967Blue
Big 8 InstitutionLocationFoundedTypeNicknameTeam FoundedColorsKomazawa UniversitySetagaya, Tokyo1592PrivateBlue Tide1972Aoyama Gakuin UniversityShibuya, Tokyo1874PrivateLightningGreen and WhiteNippon Sport Science UniversitySetagaya, Tokyo1893PrivateTriumphant LionKokushikan UniversitySetagaya, Tokyo1917PrivateRhinocerosYokohama National UniversityYokohama, Kanagawa1876NationalMastiffs1971Blue and OrangeTeikyo UniversityItabashi, Tokyo1931PrivateGladiatorMeiji Gakuin UniversityYokohama, Kanagawa1863PrivateSaintsNavy and YellowTokai UniversityHiratsuka, Kanagawa1942PrivateTritons1965Blue and Silver
Division 2 In the 2025 season, Block B will have nine teams, so they will be divided into a first group of five teams and a second group of four teams, and will compete in a first and second league. The first league will be a round-robin format within the group, with the top three schools in Group 1 and the top two schools in Group 2 advancing to the second upper league, and the bottom two schools each moving on to the second lower league.
Block A InstitutionLocationFoundedTypeNicknameTeam FoundedColorsSeikei UniversityMusashino, Tokyo1906PrivateZelkovasKanagawa UniversityKanagawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa1929PrivateAtoms1974White, BlueScience TokyoMeguro, Tokyo2024 (Tokyo Tech: 1881)NationalBuffaloes1987National Defense AcademyYokosuka, Kanagawa1953PublicCadets1954International Christian UniversityMitaka, Tokyo1949Private(Christian)Apostles1963GreenUniversity of Electro-CommunicationsChōfu, Tokyo1918NationalCrashersSaitama UniversitySaitama, Saitama1873NationalPrimroseTokyo Gakugei UniversityKoganei, Tokyo1873NationalSnails
Block B InstitutionGroupLocationFoundedTypeNicknameTeam FoundedColorsSenshu University1Chiyoda, Tokyo1880PrivateGreen Machine1963GreenHitotsubashi University2Kunitachi, Tokyo1876NationalCrimson1967CrimsonUniversity of Tsukuba2Tsukuba, Ibaraki1872NationalExcalibursLight BlueShibaura Tech1Koto, Tokyo1927PrivateFighting EngineersGreenKanto Gakuin University1Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa1884PrivateHurricanes1964Sophia University2Chiyoda, Tokyo1913PrivateGolden Eagles1969Tokyo A&T2Fuchū, Tokyo1949NationalBlastersKogakuin University1Shinjuku, Tokyo1887PrivateCrash Machines1976Nihon University1Chiyoda, Tokyo1889Private2024
Division 3 A Block InstitutionLocationFoundedTypeNicknameColorsSeijo UniversitySetagaya, Tokyo1950PrivateOrange BeamsChiba UniversityChiba, Chiba1949NationalPoseidonRyutsu Keizai UniversityRyūgasaki, Ibaraki1967PrivateDragonsDokkyo UniversitySōka, Saitama1883PrivateGreen MonstersRissho UniversityShinagawa, Tokyo1872PrivateBulldogsSōka UniversityHachiōji, Tokyo1971PrivateSouka Blue LionsDaito Bunka UniversityItabashi, Tokyo1923PrivateWild Boars B Block InstitutionLocationFoundedTypeNicknameColorsTakushoku UniversityBunkyo, Tokyo1900PrivateRattlesnakesOrange and BlackTokyo University of ScienceShinjuku, Tokyo1881PrivateRascalsAsia University of JapanMusashino, Tokyo1941PrivateAngelsChiba University of CommerceIchikawa, Chiba1950PrivateLycaonpictusNiigata UniversityNiigata, Niigata1870NationalTigersYokohama City UniversityYokohama, Kanagawa1882PublicFighting SeagullsHakuoh UniversityOyama, Tochigi1986PrivateRascals C Block InstitutionLocationFoundedTypeNicknameColorsToyo UniversityBunkyo, Tokyo1887PrivateVikingsMusashi UniversityNerima, Tokyo1922PrivatePheasantsTokyo Keizai UniversityKokubunji, Tokyo1900PrivateFalconsTokyo City UniversitySetagaya, Tokyo1949PrivateHeliosTokyo University of AgricultureSetagaya, Tokyo1891PrivateAggiesGreenTamagawa UniversityMachida, Tokyo1929PrivateStallions D Block InstitutionLocationFoundedTypeNicknameColorsGakushuin UniversityToshima, Tokyo1847PrivateGeneralsDark Blue and PinkTokyo International UniversityKawagoe, Saitama1965PrivateDolphinsTokyo University of Foreign StudiesFuchū, Tokyo1873NationalPhantomsTokyo Metropolitan UniversityHachiōji, Tokyo1949PublicScrappersTakachiho UniversitySuginami, Tokyo1903PrivateEaglesUniversity of YamanashiKōfu/Tamaho, Yamanashi2002NationalWyverns
Medical and Dental Division InstitutionLocationFoundedTypeNicknameColorsJikei University School of MedicineMinato, TokyoPrivateCricketsDokkyo Medical UniversityMibu, Tochigi1973PrivateSilver Dum DumsUniversity of Tokyo School of MedicineTokyoNationalScorpionsShowa Medical UniversityTokyo1928PrivateMaddogsNihon University School of Medicine, School of Dental, and School of Dental in MatsudoChiyoda, TokyoPrivateBoarsSaitama Medical UniversityMoroyama, Saitama1892PrivateMulberryKeio University School of MedicineMinato, TokyoPrivateUnicorns
7-a-side American football Division
A Block InstitutionLocationFoundedTypeNicknameColorsTokyo University of TechnologyHachioji, Tokyo1947PrivateCerberusMeikai University Dental schoolUrayasu, Chiba1970PrivateCrusadersKyorin UniversityTokyo1970PrivateCavaliersThe Nippon Dental UniversityChiyodaku, Tokyo1907PrivateBombers
B Block InstitutionLocationFoundedTypeNicknameColorsMeisei UniversityHino, Tokyo1951PrivateSilver KnightsTokyo Medical UniversityMinato, Tokyo1916PrivateMeribibazuSurugadai UniversityHanno, Saitama1987PrivateCougarsBunkyo University / Science Tokyo Medical School Joint Team
Not participating in league match InstitutionLocationFoundedTypeNicknameColorsNippon TechMiyashiro, Saitama1907PrivateRiver HorseSt. Marianna University School of MedicineKawasaki, Kanagawa1971PrivateRoadrunnersToho University School of MedicineOta, Tokyo1925PrivateTsurumi University School of DentalYokohama, Kanagawa1953Private
Past champions
Number of championships +InstitutionNumber of championshipsNihon University35Hosei University20Waseda University8Rikkyo University6Meiji University5Keio University3Senshu University1Nippon Sport Science University1
Main match venues
Aminovital Field (Ajinomoto Stadium's sub-ground) Komazawa Olympic Park, No.2 ball sports ground Yokohama Stadium Tokyo Dome Fujitsu Stadium Kawasaki Spears EDORIKU Field (Edogawa Stadium)
In addition, the grounds of each university will be used.
References
External links