The sky we looked up at that day was connected endlessly. This is an episode that makes you feel that way.
This is the story of two people who reunited in Japan after 26 years—Yukinori YAMAKAWA, affectionately known as “Yama-san,” the kit man, and Ricardo RODRIGUEZ, the manager leading Kashiwa Reysol.
Yama-san saw a TV program in high school featuring a Brazilian-born kit man and thought, "I want to make this my job." However, at that time, those working behind the scenes at J-League clubs were mostly people with experience as university soccer managers. After graduating from a junior college specializing in welfare, he worked part-time but could not give up on his dream of becoming a kit man.
At the age of 24 in 1999, he pursued his dream and went alone to Spain. Desperate for support, he relied on a Japanese journalist he happened to meet while watching the 1998 FIFA World Cup France on site.
However, although he met with several club officials introduced by the journalist, the communication did not go well. He experienced loneliness alone in a hotel overseas. When he was at a loss, the journalist, who happened to be on a business trip to Germany, came to check on Yama-san out of concern, and through his recommendation, he was allowed to observe the work of a kit man at Real Oviedo.
It was on that very first day of the observation. Donato Aumente Feite, who served as the equipment manager for Oviedo, was elderly and had trouble with his legs, making it difficult for him to carry luggage. Yama-san voluntarily offered to carry the luggage, and the next day, he was handed the team jersey.
A week later, a local TV station, intrigued by the fact that there was a Japanese person working unpaid in Oviedo, interviewed him. When that interview was broadcast, it quickly became a topic among Oviedo supporters, and through their efforts, he was allowed to accompany the team on away trips. From there, he deepened his friendships with players and staff, and for three months until his tourist visa expired, he learned the skills and knowledge of a kit man under Donato. From his mentor, who was strict even with the players, he received many heartfelt words of wisdom.
One day, while I was busy working, I was told, "Don’t run around so much and rush picking up balls. Think of today as the last day of your life and enjoy it more." Then, on the night before returning to Japan, when we went out to eat, I was taught the principles of being a kit man. Those words are still very important to me.
"Restaurants that cause food poisoning do so because they deal with too many customers. But if you treat each one as if they were your own child, you wouldn’t cause food poisoning. So, you must prepare for each and every player as if they were your own child."
At the starting point of his career, he met an assistant coach called Richard, who had just begun his path as a coach. They were close in age, and Richard was one of the few who paid close attention to Yama-san, who couldn’t speak much of the language.
"Richard was mainly a staff member for the young players in the Segunda B team. When injuries occurred in the top team, which had 25 registered players, replacements were brought up from Segunda B. Then, he would come along with the top team and play the role of an enthusiastic motivator in the locker room, passionately encouraging the players. Since he was close in age to one of the two kit managers, we often went out for tea, which we called 'wine,' on nights during away trips. Because I couldn’t speak much at the time, we didn’t have very deep conversations, but he helped me arrange things when going out somewhere, negotiated with the office staff on my behalf, and we saw each other every day during regular practice."
After meeting a fledgling coach who treated him kindly during his training journey to Spain, where he went with dreams in his heart, he said farewell and, by chance, became the kit manager for FC Tokyo starting from the 2000 season after returning to Japan.
As time passed, in the 2017 season, Coach Rodriguez came to Japan for the first time and took the position of head coach at Tokushima Vortis. Mr. Yama said, "I thought there were people in the world who looked alike." Five years later, when Rodriguez became the head coach of the Urawa Reds, he happened to look through his profile and realized that the 'Richard' he knew was actually 'Ricardo.'
"When he became the manager of Urawa, his profile said 'from Oviedo,' so that's when I found out. That was his last season managing Urawa, and it was after we had already played once. There was another chance to meet at the next match, but he got busy and went to China before we could meet, so I was disappointed."
The reunion did not happen──. While regretting this, Mr. Rodriguez was appointed as the manager of Kashiwa from the 2025 season. Yama-san eagerly awaited the Kashiwa match, thinking, "This time, I will definitely talk to him."
Meanwhile, under Manager Rodriguez, there was also contact from a local Spanish reporter.
"A local reporter from Oviedo contacted me saying they wanted to write an article tracing the club's history, and mentioned that a Japanese kit man who used to be in Oviedo should have returned to Japan. They asked if there was any way to get in touch with him."
Upon receiving that news, Coach Rodriguez, who had worked together with me at Urawa Reds and is also from Spain but had worked in Japan longer than I had, contacted Joan MIRET, the goalkeeping coach, saying, "There was a kit man who was talked about over there at the time, and I have this story to share."
"I was told, 'That's the kit man from FC Tokyo. He was with FC Tokyo.'"
After the match held at the Japan National Stadium in April 2025, the two met face to face for the first time in 26 years. While Yama-san was waiting in the players' area inside the stadium, Coach Rodriguez noticed him, smiled softly, and approached saying, "You're the kit man who was here when I was 24 years old, right? It's nostalgic." They rekindled their old friendship. At that moment, Yama-san said, "I didn't realize it because I knew you by your English name."
Coach Rodriguez was also delighted to reunite with Yama-san.
"27 years ago, I worked as one of the coaching staff for Oviedo's satellite team. At that time, Yuki had come from Japan to learn the skills of the kit man. Since my playing days, I had been nicknamed 'Richard,' the English reading of 'Ricardo,' and Yuki remembered me as 'Richard,' so it didn’t connect well at first. We talked about that at the National Stadium and were able to reunite. I was very happy."
Yama-san said, "The world is small," reflecting on the mysterious bond nurtured in Spain.
"What I saw in Oviedo was really just the very beginning of the work. But later, I realized there were many things Donato-san was doing, and my experience in Spain ended up being very valuable. I am grateful to have been involved in something I love this much, and whenever players were in trouble, I wanted to do something to help. When I recall my memories with Donato-san, I realize that just doing what I was told wasn’t enough. I try to convey what needs to be said in my own way. Even though I was involved with only one team in a distant country, there have been several surprising reunions in my life where I met not only Ricardo-san but a few others again. Nowadays, with social media, it might be an era where you can track down and meet people. But still, there really are mysterious connections."
They met at the starting point of their careers and, after chasing the rolling ball, reunited for the first time in 26 years.
The two, who share an unforgettable sky, are now looking up at the same sky once again.
(Honorifics omitted in the text)
Text by Tadashi BABA (Freelance Writer)
