Rice Bowl

Annual American football championship tournament held in Japan

For the Japanese rice dish, see Donburi. For the term used for highly productive agricultural areas, see Breadbasket.

College football bowl game

Rice Bowl

Japan Championship Rice Bowl presented by Prudential
Stadium| Tokyo Dome
Location| Tokyo, Japan
Previous stadiums| National Stadium (1984-1990)
Operated| 1948-present
Conference tie-ins| X-League
Sponsors

Prudential Financial, Japan American Football Association

2022 matchup
Panasonic Impulse, Fujitsu Frontiers

The Japan Championship Rice Bowl is an annual American football national championship game held in Japan every January 3 that determines the champion of the X-League. The game was originally a collegiate all-star game until 1983. From 1984 to 2021, the game matched the champions of the Japan X Bowl with the college Koshien Bowl winners. However, after lopsided victories to the professional teams, discussions took place over whether this was a reasonable contest,[1] and from 2022 the contest was changed so that it was between the two top professional teams. The game can draw over 30,000 spectators.

## Current champions

[edit]

The current 2025 champions are the Panasonic Impulse. They have played against the Fujitsu Frontiers in each of the Rice Bowl games since 2022, however the Frontiers had won each of the previous three games.[2]

## All Star Era

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This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (November 2015)

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## National Championship Era

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### X-League vs College Era Results

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Date | Game | College Team | Score | X-League | Stadium | Attendance

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January 3, 1984 | 37 | Kyoto | 29-28 | Renown Rovers | National Stadium | —
January 3, 1985 | 38 | Nihon | 53-21 | Renown Rovers | National Stadium  | —
January 3, 1986 | 39 | Kwansei Gakuin | 42-45 | Renown Rovers | National Stadium  | —
January 3, 1987 | 40 | Kyoto | 35-34 | Renown Rovers | National Stadium  | —
January 3, 1988 | 41 | Kyoto | 42-8 | Renown Rovers | National Stadium  | —
January 3, 1989 | 42 | Nihon | 47-7 | Renown Rovers | National Stadium  | —
January 3, 1990 | 43 | Nihon | 42-14 | Asahi Beer Silver Star | National Stadium  | —
January 3, 1991 | 44 | Nihon | 35-13 | Matsushita Electric Works Impulse | Tokyo Dome | —
January 3, 1992 | 45 | Kwansei Gakuin | 6-28 | Onward Oaks | Tokyo Dome  | —
January 3, 1993 | 46 | Kyoto | 20-29 | Asahi Beer Silver Star | Tokyo Dome  | —
January 3, 1994 | 47 | Kwansei Gakuin | 23-28 | Asahi Beer Silver Star | Tokyo Dome  | —
January 3, 1995 | 48 | Ritsumeikan | 14-16 | Matsushita Electric Works Impulse | Tokyo Dome  | —
January 3, 1996 | 49 | Kyoto | 35-21 | Matsushita Electric Works Impulse | Tokyo Dome  | —
January 3, 1997 | 50 | Kyoto | 16-19 | Recruit Seagulls | Tokyo Dome  | —
January 3, 1998 | 51 | Hosei | 0-39 | Kashima Deers | Tokyo Dome  | —
January 3, 1999 | 52 | Ritsumeikan | 16-30 | Recruit Seagulls | Tokyo Dome  | —
January 3, 2000 | 53 | Kwansei Gakuin | 17-33 | Asahi Beer Silver Star | Tokyo Dome  | —
January 3, 2001 | 54 | Hosei | 13-52 | Asahi Soft Drink Challengers | Tokyo Dome  | —
January 3, 2002 | 55 | Kwansei Gakuin | 30-27 | Asahi Soft Drink Challengers | Tokyo Dome  | —
January 3, 2003 | 56 | Ritsumeikan | 36-13 | Obic Seagulls | Tokyo Dome  | —
January 3, 2004 | 57 | Ritsumeikan | 28-16 | Onward Oaks | Tokyo Dome  | —
January 3, 2005 | 58 | Ritsumeikan | 7-26 | Matsushita Electric Works Impulse | Tokyo Dome | 28,000
January 3, 2006 | 59 | Hosei | 17-47 | Obic Seagulls | Tokyo Dome | 28,041
January 3, 2007 | 60 | Hosei | 29-30 | Onward Skylarks | Tokyo Dome | 32,598
January 3, 2008 | 61 | Kwansei Gakuin | 38-52 | Panasonic Electric Works Impulse | Tokyo Dome | 34,487
January 3, 2009 | 62 | Ritsumeikan | 17-13 | Panasonic Electric Works Impulse | Tokyo Dome | 34,655
January 3, 2010 | 63 | Kansai | 16-19 | Kashima Deers | Tokyo Dome | 35,742
January 3, 2011 | 64 | Ritsumeikan | 0-24 | Obic Seagulls | Tokyo Dome | 35,750
January 3, 2012 | 65 | Kwansei Gakuin | 28-38 | Obic Seagulls | Tokyo Dome | 25,059
January 3, 2013 | 66 | Kwansei Gakuin | 15-21 | Obic Seagulls | Tokyo Dome | 27,371
January 3, 2014 | 67 | Kwansei Gakuin | 16-34 | Obic Seagulls | Tokyo Dome | 29,564
January 3, 2015 | 68 | Kwansei Gakuin | 24-33 | Fujitsu Frontiers | Tokyo Dome | 30,361
January 3, 2016 | 69 | Ritsumeikan | 19-22 | Panasonic Impulse | Tokyo Dome | 31,345
January 3, 2017 | 70 | Kwansei Gakuin | 13-30 | Fujitsu Frontiers | Tokyo Dome | 33,521
January 3, 2018 | 71 | Nihon | 9-37 | Fujitsu Frontiers | Tokyo Dome | 34,500
January 3, 2019 | 72 | Kwansei Gakuin | 17-52 | Fujitsu Frontiers | Tokyo Dome | 33,242
January 3, 2020 | 73 | Kwansei Gakuin | 14-38 | Fujitsu Frontiers | Tokyo Dome | 31,345
January 3, 2021 | 74 | Kwansei Gakuin | 18-35 | Obic Seagulls | Tokyo Dome |

[3]

## X-League Championship Era

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Date | Game | Team | Score | Team | Stadium | Attendance

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January 3, 2022 | 75 | Panasonic Impulse | 18–24 | Fujitsu Frontiers | Tokyo Dome |
January 3, 2023 | 76 | Panasonic Impulse | 21–29 | Fujitsu Frontiers | Tokyo Dome |
January 3, 2024 | 77 | Panasonic Impulse | 10–16 | Fujitsu Frontiers | Tokyo Dome |
January 3, 2025 | 78 | Fujitsu Frontiers | 27–34 | Panasonic Impulse | Tokyo Dome | 17,694

[3]

## Records of teams

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College Teams  Team | Times Participated | Wins | Losses

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Kwansei Gakuin University Fighters | 14 | 1 | 13
Ritsumeikan University Panthers | 8 | 3 | 5
Kyoto University Gangsters | 6 | 4 | 2
Nihon University Phoenix | 5 | 4 | 1
Hosei University Orange | 4 | 0 | 4
Kansai University Kaisers | 1 | 0 | 1

[3]

X-League teams  Team | Times Participated | Wins | Losses

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Panasonic Impulse | 11 | 5 | 6
Obic Seagulls | 9 | 8 | 1
Fujitsu Frontiers | 9 | 8 | 1
Renown Rovers | 6 | 1 | 5
Asahi Beer Silver Star | 4 | 3 | 1
Onward Skylarks | 3 | 2 | 1
Lixil Deers | 2 | 2 | 0
Asahi Soft Drink Challengers | 2 | 1 | 1

[3]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Harris, Thalia (2020-10-05). "The Rice Bowl: Japan's Unbalanced American Football Playoffs". Unseen Japan. Retrieved 2025-07-10.
2. ^ "American football: Panasonic overcomes Fujitsu to claim Rice Bowl". Japan Wire by KYODO NEWS. 2025-01-03. Retrieved 2025-07-10.
3. ^ a b c d "Rice Bowl Records". Rice Bowl. Archived from the original on November 26, 2015. Retrieved November 26, 2015.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website (Japanese)

* v
* t
* e

Rice Bowl Game

* National Stadium
* Tokyo Dome

Tie-Ins
X-League

East vs West All-Star|

* 1949
* 1950
* 1951
* 1952
* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
* 1956
* 1957
* 1958
* 1959
* 1960
* 1961
* 1962
* 1963
* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973
* 1974
* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
* 1978
* 1979
* 1980
* 1981
* 1982
* 1983

College vs X-League|

* 1984
* 1985
* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1995
* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008
* 2009
* 2010
* 2011
* 2012
* 2013
* 2014
* 2015
* 2016
* 2017

* v
* t
* e

Collegiate American football in Japan

East Japan (東日本)|

* Kanto
* Hokkaido
* Tohoku

West Japan (西日本)|

* Chushikoku
* Hokuriku
* Kansai
* Kyūshū
* Tokai

Bowl games|

* Azuma
* American
* Christmas
* Heiwadai
* Ivy
* Japan
* Japan X
* Koshien (All-Japan Collegiate Football Championship)
* Legacy
* Mirage
* Pearl
* Pine
* Rice
* Tokyo
* Western Japan

People|

* Masafumi Kawaguchi
* Joe Roth
* Paul Rusch
* David Stant

Seasons|

* 2015
* 2016
* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024

Major venues|

* National Stadium
* Sapporo Dome
* Tomahawks Field
* Tokyo Dome
* Yokohama Stadium
* Yurtec Stadium Sendai

See also|

* American football in Japan
* Eyeshield 21
* IFAF Asia
* JAFA
* Japan national American football team
* List of Japanese collegiate American football programs
* Paul Rusch Cup
* X-League

* v
* t
* e

X-League

X1|

| Super|

* Panasonic Impulse
* Fujitsu Frontiers
* Obic Seagulls
* IBM Big Blue
* Nojima Sagamihara Rise
* Tokyo Gas Creators
* Elecom Kobe Finies
* All Mitsubishi Lions
* Asahi Beer Silver Star
* Asahi Soft Drink Challengers
* Me-Life Fukuoka Suns
* Deers

|

Area|

* Keishichou Eagles
* PentaOcean Pirates
* As One Black Eagles
* Dentsu Caterpillars
* Nagoya Cyclones
* Fuji Xerox Minerva AFC
* Bullseyes-Tokyo

X2|

* Yokohama Harbors
* Bulls
* Hawkeye
* Warriors
* Blue Thunders
* Nishiomiya Bruins
* Barbarian
* Shitamachi Gorillas
* Golden Fighters
* Zero Fighters
* Hurricanes
* Osaka Gas Skunks
* Wranglers
* Kawasaki Ox
* Sidewinders
* AFC Cranes
* Ibaraki Saviors
* Triaxis J-Stars
* Sony Solidstate

X3|

* Mitsui Seagulls

Championship|

* Japan X Bowl
* Rice Bowl

See also|

* Green Bowl
* Paul Rusch Cup
* Pearl Bowl
* All X-League Team
* List of defunct X-League franchises

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