Bowl	Year	University Team		Social Team (X-League)
37	1984	Kyoto University Gangsters	29	Renown Lowverse	28
38	1985	Nihon University Phoenix	53	Renown Lowverse	21
39	1986	Kwansei Gakuin University Fighters	42	Renown Lowverse	45
40	1987	Kyoto University Gangsters	35	Renown Lowverse	34
41	1988	Kyoto University Gangsters	42	Renown Lowverse	8
42	1989	Nihon University Phoenix	47	Renown Lowverse	7
43	1990	Nihon University Phoenix	42	Silver Star	14
44	1991	Nihon University Phoenix	35	Matsushita Electric Works Pulse	13
45	1992	Kwansei Gakuin University Fighters	6	Onward Oaks	28
46	1993	Kyoto University Gangsters	20	Silver Star	29
47	1994	Kwansei Gakuin University Fighters	23	Silver Star	28
48	1995	Ritsumeikan University Panthers	14	Matsushita Electric Works Pulse	16
49	1996	Kyoto University Gangsters	35	Matsushita Electric Works Pulse	21
50	1997	Kyoto University Gangsters	16	Recruit Seagulls	19
51	1998	Hosei University Tomahawks	0	Kajima Deers	39
52	1999	Ritsumeikan University Panthers	16	Recruit Seagulls	30
53	2000	Kwansei Gakuin University Fighters	17	Asahi Beer Silver Star	33
54	2001	Hosei University Tomahawks	13	Asahi Beverage Challengers	52
55	2002	Kwansei Gakuin University Fighters	30	Asahi Beverage Challengers	27
56	2003	Ritsumeikan University Panthers	36	Seagulls	13
57	2004	Ritsumeikan University Panthers	28	Onward Skylarks	16
58	2005	Ritsumeikan University Panthers	7	Matsushita Electric Works Pulse	26
59	2006	Hosei University Tomahawks	17	Orbic Seagulls	47
60	2007	Hosei University Tomahawks	29	Onward Skylarks	30
61	2008	Kwansei Gakuin University Fighters	38	Matsushita Electric Works Pulse	52
62	2009	Ritsumeikan University Panthers	17	Panasonic Electric Works Impulse	13
63	2010	Kansai University Keizers	16	Kajima Deers	19
64	2011	Ritsumeikan University Panthers	0	Orbic Seagulls	24
65	2012	Kwansei Gakuin University Fighters	28	Orbic Seagulls	38
66	2013	Kwansei Gakuin University Fighters	15	Orbic Seagulls	21
67	2014	Kwansei Gakuin University Fighters	16	Orbic Seagulls	34
68	2015	Kwansei Gakuin University Fighters	24	Fujitsu Frontiers	31
69	2016	Ritsumeikan University Panthers	19	Panasonic Impulse	22
70	2017	Kaikyo Great Fighters	13	Fujitsu Frontiers	30
71	2018	Nihon University Phoenix	9	Fujitsu Frontiers	37
72	2019	Kwansei Gakuin University Fighters	17	Fujitsu Frontiers	52
73	2020	Kwansei Gakuin University Fighters	14	Fujitsu Frontiers	38

Composite Table – University Teams (12 Wins)

	P	W	L
Kyoto University Gangsters	6	4	2
Nihon University Phoenix	5	4	1
Ritsumeikan University Panthers	8	3	5
Kwansei Gakuin University Fighters	13	1	12
Hosei University Tomahawks	4	0	4
Kanai University Keizers	1	0	1

Composite Table – Social Teams (24 Wins)

	P	W	L
Recruit Seagulls / Seagulls / Orbic Seagulls	8	7	1
Matsushita Electric Works Pulse / Panasonic Electric Works Impulse / Panasonic Impulse	7	4	3
Fujitsu Frontiers	5	5	0
Silver Star / Asahi Beer Silver Star	4	3	1
Kajima Deers	2	2	0
Renown Lowverse	6	1	5
Asahi Beverage Challengers	2	1	1
Onward Skylarks	2	1	1
Onward Oaks	1	1	0

Report

The Rice Bowl is the pinnacle of American Football in Japan, the first 36 editions were a University All-Star Game, between East and West with 24 wins for Kanto and 12 for Kansai [1].Beginning in 1984 it has was played between the winners of the University Championship and the winners of the X-Bowl (Social Championship). [1] During the Social v University Era it always took place on the 3rd of January. [2-3]

Recruit / Orbic Seagulls were the most succesful team in the Social v University Era, winning 7 Rice Bowls, and Fujitsu Frontiers second with 5 victories, and Matsushita Electric Works / Panasonic & winning four each. The most successful University sides have been Kyoto University Gangsters & Nihon University Phoenix with four apeice. The most finals appearances belongs to Kwansei Gakuin University Fighters with 13 appearances in total, although with only one victory, including 6 losses in the last 9 years. [2-3]

With Ritsumeikan University Panthers the last University team to win in 2009, and the risk to students, who are younger and less experienced than the X-League teams, all of whom would boast American Professional imports at star positions, the Rice Bowl became from 2021 onwards an X-League only Final. [2-3]

References

Logos

[1] Japan American Football Association (2021) jafa_banner [Internet] Available from: https://ricebowl.americanfootball.jp/wp-content/themes/theme1424/images/jafa_banner.png [Accessed 3 May 2021]

Websites

[2] Japan American Football Association (2021) Past Records [Internet] Available from: http://ricebowl.americanfootball.jp/record.html [Accessed 21 February 2019][Last Accessed 3 May 2021]

[3] X-League (2019) 2018 X League Championship [Internet] Available from: http://www.xleague.com/english/schedule.php [Accessed 21 February 2019]

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Liam Delaney, Caoilfhionn Nic Fhearai & Keiko, Grant Farrell and John Gunning.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 3 May 2021

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2019-21

You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved.