From Friday 17 Match to Saturday 25 March, three coaches from the Bhutan Football Federation (BFF) and Mr. TAKAHASHI Hideharu, a JFA coach currently on dispatch to Bhutan, visited J-Village and Prince Takamado Memorial JFA YUME Field for nine days to observe coaching and development methods utilised in Japan.

During their stay, the four coaches observed the “5th J-VILLAGE CUP U-18” held at J-Village, toured the facilities of JFA Academy Fukushima U-15, and attended lectures held by JFA Academy staff.

The coaches also attended lectures at JFA YUME Field to deepen their knowledge of the Japan Football vision and youth development.

Coaches’ Comments

TAKAHASHI Hideharu, Head Coach of U-17 Bhutan National Team & BFF Academy U-15・U-18 / Academy Youth Director
We had a strong sense of gratitude the entire time we were in Japan. We learned the value of a smile, respect, and an open mind at J-Village and JFA YUME Field. I have been discussing and practising these three things in Bhutan for the past two years, but the three coaches did not need my elaboration on these subjects to begin with. Being surrounded by top-level coaches from Japan allowed them to instantly discern what was most important to them as coaches. In South Asia, training sessions and matches are often held in relaxed settings, but by watching the Japan National Team train and play, as well as the top-tier games played at the J-VILLAGE CUP, we were able to gain insight into what it means to fight until the very end, make decisions, and demonstrate one's skills while making quick transitions between offence and defence. Also, the initiatives of JFA Academy Fukushima U-15 and the lecture on the Japan's Way taught us how important it is to always have a plan for the environment and the future. I am confident that these coaches will make a great difference to the future of Bhutan football, as they have grown significantly as people and as coaches through this training in Japan. Finally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all the Japanese coaches I had the pleasure to interact with.

Yeshi Wangchuk, Coach
At J-Village, we met with a number of great coaches from high schools, clubs, and the JFA academy. They were all really kind and courteous people, who always greeted us with a smile, but they were also very strict during the training sessions. We also witnessed how the players and coaches treated one another with respect and how they maintained the team's cohesiveness. We met with numerous JFA staff, including the president, at JFA YUME Field in Chiba. They were all friendly, attentive, and caring as they welcomed us with a warm smile. Youth Development Director, Mr. KAGEYAMA, was very kind to us and took time out of his valuable time to educate us on the Japan's Way. We had the opportunity to observe Japan’s top competition, as we watched the match between the Japan National Team and the Uruguay National Team at Japan National Stadium. What I've learned through my training in Japan is that coaches must always be courteous, respectful, humble, and constantly smiling. I'd like to express my gratitude to everyone who made our trip to Japan possible.

Sonam Dhendup, Coach
We are grateful for all the lessons learned during our time in Japan. The Japanese people’s passion and dedication towards football was inspiring for us. Their discipline was the first thing that impressed me. They all greeted us with a hearty smile when we first arrived at J-Village, and the sense of responsibility, respect, and self-discipline shown by the players during the matches were exceptional. The second is their mentality. Even though the Japanese players are not known for their physical strengths, they found their own ways to collaborate as a team and played the games with a strong mentality. We were able to observe their attitude towards football at the J-VILLAGE CUP, including how committed they were in winning one-on-one battles and their respect for the opposition and the referees. And lastly, the level of skills displayed by the Japanese players. They were really good at building their game around their foot-skills, positioning, and tempo. I'd like to thank everyone who helped make this trip to Japan possible.

Tshering Dendup, Coach
We had the opportunity to see many different facets of Japanese culture while we were there, including the subways, the Tokyo Skytree, Japanese farming, traditional houses, and temples. We stayed at J-Village in Fukushima for four days and experienced a variety of Japanese cuisine during our stay. The facilities in J-Village were outstanding, offering an excellent environment for the players. We also witnessed elite youth competitions featuring renowned Japanese high school teams and a Brazilian team competing in the J-VILLAGE CUP. We then spent four days in Chiba, exploring the city’s temples, museums, and shopping malls. We also visited JFA YUME Field, where we learned about the philosophy of Japanese football. We were able to meet and talk with Head Coach MORIYASU Hajime of the Japan National Team and other top-level Japanese football coaches. We watched the KIRIN CHALLENGE CUP match between the Japan National Team and the Uruguay National Team at Japan National Stadium where we could feel how passionate the Japanese people are about football. During our stay in Japan, we were able to feel the differences in culture, traditions, and football life between our country and Japan. Finally, I am very grateful to the BFF and JFA for giving us this wonderful learning opportunity. Thank you very much.

Accepting teams from AFC Member Associations to hold training camps in Japan

Upon receiving requests to hold training camps in Japan, JFA will make various arrangements, including training-matches, in efforts to support the development of the national teams of the AFC Member Associations.
For more information