Soccer

bulletYatagarasu
The symbol of the Japan Football Association is the Yatagarasu, or three legged bird.  It was chosen to honor Kakunosuke Nakamura, who first introduced modern soccer to Japan.  As Nakamura, the so called “founder of Japanese soccer,” is from Nachi Katsuura in Wakayama Prefecture, the symbol was based on one of the Gods of Kumano Grand Shrine in the same town.

The yellow and orange background represents the sun.  The three legged bird clutching a soccer ball represents agility and strength.

By Julian Richards

Back to Links