The love that they felt from Filipinos was not lost on the Japan men’s volleyball team.
Since the Volleyball Nations League introduced its Manila leg in 2022, Filipino fans have gotten the rare opportunity to catch the Japan men’s volleyball team, or Ryujin Nippon, in the flesh.
For every game that Ryujin Nippon played, iconic venues such as the SMART Araneta Coliseum and Mall of Asia Arena were turned into a vibrant sea of red, and could be compared to that of the Saitama Super Stadium or the Tokyo Dome back in Japan.
It’s safe to say that the Japanese greatly benefited from a “homecourt advantage” throughout the VNL’s Manila legs, as seen with their joint 8-4 record across a three-year span.
However, all that would change by 2025, or when Ryujin Nippon returned to the Philippines for the 2025 FIVB Men’s World Championship. Despite being heavy favorites to go far, Japan quickly crashed out of contention after back-to-back losses against Turkiye and Canada.
While they gave the Filipino fans a winning farewell on Wednesday, September 17, captain Yuki Ishikawa couldn’t help but feel a sense of regret that they weren’t able to perform at their best in Manila.
“It was so difficult for us, so we have to improve more,” Ishikawa said. “Philippine fans are so great, and they cheer for us, so I want to say thanks for being the best.
“We are so happy to play here in front of Philippine fans. I thought we could have been better, but our World Championship is better. So we have to improve, and we will show and come back stronger on the world stage.”
Japan’s farewell win against Libya tipped off at around 9:40 p.m. on Wednesday and ended at around an hour and a half later. Still, the Filipino fans remained in full force at the Big Dome, and diligently stayed at the Fan Zone even if the venue lights were getting turned off.
Like Ishikawa, fan-favorite Ran Takahashi believes that this is the biggest silver lining of their campaign, which took place amid a transition period from Phillippe Blain to Laurent Tillie, and in the absence of stars Yuji Nishida and Masahiro Sekita.
Disappointing as their World Championship bid was, the consistent level of fan support left a lasting impression on Ran, who was the recipient of the loudest cheers at the Big Dome.
“Yeah, I was surprised, and Filipino fans give me a lot of power and support. Whenever I stay in the hotel, they always say, ‘Oh, Ran Takahashi, can I take a picture?’ and I love this reception, and I always appreciate the fans,” said Ran, who took his time signing autographs and taking selfies at the fan zone late on Wednesday.
Like his veterans, rising star Kento Miyaura also felt the love from the Pinoy fans, who were quick to comfort him virtually after Japan bowed out of contention last September 15.
“Philippine fans always cheer for us every single game, so I would like to say thank you for making our experience memorable,” Miyaura said. “After losing the match, they try to push us, so thank you for being so kind.”
However, it may take some time before Ryujin Nippon returns to the Philippines, given that the country will be hosting the VNL Women’s Championship for the next two years. So if this will be their last Philippine trip in a while, the Ryujin Nippon can leave knowing that they will always be beloved by their Filipino fans.
Banner images courtesy of Volleyball World.